Strategies to Cope with Unconventional Emergency Events in a Port-Hinterland Transportation Network

Abstract

Within the context of global integration, the increasingly important role of a port is illustrated by the growth of world seaborne trade. The modern port has evolved from a single transshipment node into an integrated functional region. The port is becoming the logistics hub and the normal operation of the port-hinterland transportation network (PHTN) has a significant impact on the whole regional economy. Meanwhile, this system is susceptible to unconventional emergency events (UEEs). Both natural disasters and man-made events will cause serious damage to the PHTN and this is becoming a very important issue for the regional economy. In this thesis, we analyze and evaluate the existing practices adopted by the players in the PHTN. We first review the research and publications related to the port-hinterland interface and summarize this into a theoretical framework. Then we conduct a case study of the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan (PONZ) based on the gathered information. Towards identifying the potential weaknesses of existing management systems in coping with UEEs, a coalition model involving all the freight carriers in the PNTH is proposed. To make the coalition stable, a profit sharing mechanism is established based on Shapley values. Finally, the model is applied using a numerical example.