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Index
Container Volume & Trade Forecast Estimated and Forecast Growth Rates for Container Trade and Geographical Distribution of Container Volumes World Container Forecast to 2024 Transport of Empty Containers Volume of Empty Containers Shipped vis--vis the Fulls Empty Container Volumes and Imbalances on the East/West Trades Estimated development of Empty Containers Issues Related to Empty Containers Patterns of Empty Container Movement & Causes of Empty Container Accumulation The Imbalance Problem Observations Empty Container Repositioning & the Container Transport Costs Strategies to Reduce the Costs of Empty Transport Past Attempts Reasons for Failure Necessary Features for a Successful Folding Container Our Design Solution Benefits of Our Design Solution References
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Year
Europe, 21.8
1980
13.5
Latin America, 5.4 North Asia, 10.0 ANZ/Pacific, 2.7 North America, 16.6
1990
28.7
7.8%
2015
2000 68.7 9.1%
South Asia, 5.3 Middle East, 2.4 South-East Asia, 10.3 Africa, 3.0 Europe, 17.5
2010
138.9
7.3%
Latin America, 5.6 North Asia, 8.4 North America, 13.3 ANZ/Pacific, 2.3
Source: United Nations White Paper: Regional Shipping and Port Development Strategies (Container Traffic Forecasts) Study Estimates
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Source: United Nations White Paper: Regional Shipping and Port Development Strategies (Container Traffic Forecasts) Study Estimates
The CAGR for global container trade volumes from 2002 to 2015 is estimated to be 6.6%, compared to 8.5% p.a. during 1980-2002 shipment to grow to 177.6 m TEU by 2015, up from 77.8 m TEU in 2002. The average growth rate through 2002 to 2010 has been estimated at 7.5% p.a., while for the following five years, the growth rate is expected to decline to 5%. For every 1% increase or decrease in estimated global economic growth, the rate of growth in container volumes changes by approximately 1.5%.
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Container trade volumes on the East-West routes will increase from 34 m TEU in 2002 to 70 m TEU in 2015 representing a CAGR of 5.8% p.a. The intraregional trades will show solid growth from 28 m TEU to 72 m TEU with a CAGR of 7.5% p.a. The North-South trade is also expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% p.a., exceeding the growth rate of the East-West trade.
It can be seen that until approximately 1996 there was a clear declining trend in the ratio of empty to full containers, as increasingly sophisticated container logistics gradually reduced the number of empty container movements. In 1998, the ratio increased to well over 20%. This was due to the emergence of very pronounced imbalance in the two main Asian trades with Europe and North America caused by the Asian currency crisis. This imbalance has persisted though to see present day and repositioning of empty containers has remained a major concern for carriers. The declining trend that was evident prior to 1998 is unlikely to re-emerge with the proportion of empty containers increasing to nearly 23% in 2015. Carriers will do well to achieve levels which are lower.
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656
70.2
1980
1985
1990
1995 Empties
2000 Total
2005
2010
2015
Source: Drewry Shipping Consultants, Institute of Shipping Economics & Logistics (ISL) and Global Insight projections
The graph above shows the ratio of empty containers to total container port throughput for the period 1980-2015. In 2000, the ratio increased to well over 20%. With no sign of any reversal of the imbalance trends in the Asian east/west trades, the global incidence is unlikely to revert to the sub-19% level which was common-place in the mid 1990s. This is irrespective of any further improvements which may be developed in equipment management systems, or what additional equipment pooling arrangements are instituted. Carriers will do well to hold the empty incidence at current levels of just under 21%.
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Source: Adapted from Boile, M., Theofanis S., Golias M. and Mittal N. (2006) Empty Marine Container Management: Addressing Locally a Global Problem. TRB Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. Paper # 06-2147
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According to International Asset Systems Research, the average container is idle or undergoing empty repositioning for over 50% of its life-span (see figure below on container usage)
Source: Container Usage Asset Management in the Global Container Logistics Chain by Paul Crinks, President & CEO, International Asset Systems
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To help to reduce the transportation and terminal handling cost of empty containers and to solve the space shortage problem, the concept of a Collapsible Container with the following characteristics has been innovated: Conserve 75% space Reduce transportation cost accordingly Comply with ISO standard Can be folded and unfolded in just three minutes Manufacturing cost not greater than that of standard containers Smart design, such as smart locking mechanism, water tightness, low tare weight, etc.
Source: Imbalances and Container Repositioning Strategies by Theofanis, Rodrigue and Boile (2007)
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(1)
(3)
(2)
Source: Fallpac AB, The Folding Process of the Fallpac Container
(4)
Source: See Six-In-One Containers Company S.A., Figure 1. The Folding Process of the Six-in-One Container
Our Design
Diagram 1
Diagram 3
Folding Size
Folding Base
(Unfolded Container)
Diagram 2
Benefits to the Environment With fewer trailers and trucks on the road particularly near the ports, less pollution Lesser traffic on the roads near the ports
References
United Nations White Paper: Regional Shipping and Port Development Strategies Empty Intermodal Container Management by Maria Boil, Ph.D., 2005 NJDOT Research Showcase, October 2005 Empty Marine Container Management: Addressing Locally a Global Problem. TRB Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. Paper # 06-2147 Container Usage Asset Management in the Global Container Logistics Chain by Paul Crinks, President & CEO, International Asset Systems Conventional Empty Repositioning, IAS InterChange, International Asset Systems Conventional Empty Repositioning, IAS InterBox, International Asset Systems Container Repositioning, Boston Consulting Group, 2007 Is the Drive for Ever Bigger Containerships Irresistible?, Lloyds List Shipping Forecasting Conference by M. Stopford Cost of Operations and Time for Shipping a 40 Container; in APECs Congestion Points Study, Phase III, Best Practices Manual and Technical Report, Volume 2, Sea Transport, Feb 1997 Imbalances and Container Repositioning Strategies by Theofanis, Rodrigue and Boile (2007) White Paper By Drewry Shipping Consultants Shipping Container Housing Guide: Inefficiencies and Risks The Geography of Transport Systems, Chapter 4 Transportation Terminals, Concepts Empty Intermodal Container Management, Final Report, July 2006, by Dr. Maria P. Boile http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/nf20041130.535525.htm, November 2004, Tackling the Empty Container Problem http://www.metrans.org/research/final/01-05_Final.pdf Pg.35 http://www.ejtir.tudelft.nl/issues/2001_04/pdf/2001_04_01.pdf
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