Port Engineering: Planning, Construction, Maintenance, and Security / Edition 1

by Gregory P. Tsinker

Overview

This comprehensive book covers all major aspects of the design and maintenance of port facilities, including port planning, design loads for today's larger vessel size, seismic design guidelines, and breakwater design. New material addresses environmental concerns, the latest developments on inter-modal hubs and transfer points, and the latest information on port security and procedures being implemented around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471412748
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	02/16/2004
Pages:	896
Sales rank:	856,432
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.40(h) x 2.10(d)

About the Author

GREGORY P. TSINKER is President of Tsinker & Associates, Inc., in Ontario, Canada.

Read an Excerpt

Port Engineering

Planning, Construction, Maintenance, and Security

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John Wiley & Sons

ISBN: 0-471-41274-0

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Chapter One

PORT PLANNING

Constantine D. Memos National Technical University of Athens Zografos, Greece

1.1 Introduction / 7

1.2 Port planning at the national level / 7 1.2.1 National port policy / 7 1.2.2 Definition of port functions / 8

1.3 Port planning at the individual port level / 10 1.3.1 Port development planning / 10 1.3.2 Principles of port design / 11 1.3.3 Cargo volume forecasts / 14 1.3.4 Port productivity / 15 1.3.5 The master plan / 17 1.3.6 General layout of port works / 17

1.4 Port planning at the terminal level / 30 1.4.1 Port development / 30 1.4.2 General cargo terminal / 31 1.4.3 Container terminal / 37 1.4.4 Marinas / 46 1.4.5 Fishing ports / 57

References and recommended reading / 63

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Port development can refer either to the creation of a new port or to the expansion of an existing one, usually aimed at increasing its capacity or upgrading port operations. The issue of port development is examined at three different levels: national, local, and port terminal. Complete study of the above can be a complicated procedure since it presupposes a contribution by many specialists of various disciplines. The analysis laid out in the following pages derives from the discipline of a civil engineer specialized in port planning who has undertaken the task of conceiving and designing the pertinentelements, in most cases as part of an interdisciplinary team charged with the overall port development planning. In designing at the port or terminal level, aspects pertaining to the maritime aspects of ports are also dealt with. Such issues include the general layout of breakwaters and quays and the design of entrances and maneuvering areas.

1.2 PORT PLANNING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

1.2.1 National Port Policy

Until recently, ports in many countries have usually been developed as part of local port development programs. Such programs normally do not take into consideration the corresponding plans of other ports within the country, a factor that would have resulted in better coordination for increased national benefit. Indeed, in many cases, instead of attempting to achieve mutual complementing of aims, undue competition tends to develop between ports within the same country. In government-owned ports this situation can result in uneconomical investment of national capital in competing projects, and moreover, in loss of opportunities to attract a portion of international maritime traffic.

The competitive tendencies relate to the foreign trade of the country, foreign goods in transit, and goods being transshipped: the international flows that evidence potential for development as opposed to internal transports, which have more-or-less preset movement patterns. These trade flows can be defined as follows:

Foreign trade flows relate to the exports and imports of a country, and consequently, have their origin or destination in that country.

Goods in transit are those goods in international flow whose land transport leg uses the territory of the country and one of its ports.

Goods being transshipped, where both origin and destination are located outside the country but both of whose transport modes are marine. Consequently, in this flow only the specific ports of the country are used, not overland transport.

The latter two flows in general make up the target of the competition between ports in a country.

Given that major ports constitute integral elements of the transport network of a country, it is evident that some sort of framework for centralized coordination of port development efforts is required at a national level. A significant service that such coordination would produce refers to determination of the most suitable ports for attracting transit or transshipment movement on a national level. This acquires particular significance nowadays, where such cargo movement is conducted mainly in containers, and the corresponding port installations are very costly.

In more general terms, the existence of a national port policy could broadly define the role of each port in a country, so that in the context of the national economy, the available funding can be employed as productively as possible. Depending on a country's development and its tendency for privatization, the allocation of roles to each port may be conducted in such a manner as to permit a large percentage of these ports to be released from national coordination and to undertake their own development.

1.2.2 Definitions of Port Functions

Today, the port has acquired its standing within the intermodal transport system by constituting a nodal point between two transport modes. In seaports, one mode concerns maritime transport; in river ports, this mode concerns river transport. The nodal linkage between two different modes of transport should be functional, permitting efficient and secure movement of passengers, cargo, and vehicles. A civil port is a passenger, cargo, or combined port depending on the traffic that it serves. In a combined part, both passengers and cargo provide a significant percentage of the traffic. Of course, specialized ports exist, such as marinas (for harboring pleasure craft), fishing ports, and naval military bases.

There are two basic methods of loading and unloading cargo to vessels. They are lift on-lift off (Lo-Lo), which refers to the loading and unloading method, employing either the vessel's gear or quay-side cranes, and roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro), which refers to the loading and unloading method conducted by horizontally moving equipment. Vessels allowing this type of loading and unloading are equipped with a loading ramp that permits the movement of cargo handling equipment and other vehicles (trucks, forklifts, straddle carriers, tractors, etc.) between quay and vessel.

At cargo ports, the type and packaging of cargo products determine the manner of loading and unloading as well as of other operations. Thus, the following basic categories of port terminals can be identified, each having varying equipment and operational features:

General cargo terminals. These are terminals equipped with conventional cranes, which handle cargo in all types of packaging compatible with cranes. The packaging could be parcels, sacks, pallets, or containers. The latter should not, however, constitute a major percentage of the traffic, because otherwise a specialized container terminal would be required to improve throughput performance.

Container terminals. In this case, containers are handled using special loading/unloading, transfer, and stacking equipment. They are typified by extensive yard areas for container stowage.

Multipurpose terminals. These terminals combine a variety of functions in a single terminal, where containers, but also conventional general cargo or other packaged products, can be handled.

Ro-Ro terminals. Here cargo is transferred within a roll on-roll off system, with loading and unloading of cargo by horizontally moving lorries, forklifts, tractors, and so on.

Bulk cargo terminals. At these terminals, liquid or dry bulk cargo without packaging is handled. Usually, pumping machinery with suitable piping or grab cranes is used at these terminals.

The main quantity that may be affected by a suitably implemented national port policy lies in international cargo flow. Consequently, the initial and basic step in formulating a country's port system includes the determination of those ports that will undertake to serve the flows of foreign trade, transshipment, or transit. These flows operate more-or-less independently of one another, and thus for simplification of the analysis, may be studied individually.

The basic criteria to be considered in developing a proposition as to the roles of a country's ports may be classified into the following four groups:

1. The national and regional development policies of the country

2. The transportation infrastructure of the hinterland and its prospects

3. Existing port capacity and potential for development

4. Cargo forecasts for each port

After each of the three independent international flows has been examined, the findings should be pooled, to define the core of the country's port system. Thus, the role of each port that participates in international cargo flow will be specified and the basic cargo throughputs can be determined. Considering these throughput values, and factoring in the national flows, master plans can be drawn up for individual ports.

Apart from international cargo flow, other aspects of the overall port development study are usually examined. Although these are not of primary significance in the formulation of the core of a national port system, they do have a role in evaluation of the main subsystems and in developing the final proposal. Such aspects include:

Special bulk cargoes, such as coal, cement, petroleum products, grains

Industrial ports

Shipbuilding and ship repair

Free zones

Coastal shipping

Passenger movement

1.3 PORT PLANNING AT THE INDIVIDUAL PORT LEVEL

1.3.1 Port Development Planning

1.3.1.1 Port Development and Master Planning. The master plan of a port allocates the land within the port to the various uses required, describes the projects needed to implement the plan, and gives an indicative implementation scheme by development phase. These phases are related directly to the projected port traffic which has to be monitored closely. When in due course a decision is reached to proceed with implementation of a development scheme, this should be integrated smoothly with, or derive from, the master plan for the port. Therefore, it is important that a master plan exist, and drafting one should be among the primary concerns of port management. Of course, a variety of continuously varying factors have a bearing on such a plan, ranging from statistical data on port traffic to international treaties. For this reason, the plan should be revised regularly, at least every five years. Moreover, if during the design of a particular development phase the need arises for a review of the plan, this should be conducted concurrently, if possible, to ensure compatibility with the other functions and operations of the port. However, the lack of a master plan at a particular port should not delay the making of decisions for small-scale immediate improvement, although it is recommended that at the first opportunity an effort should be made to draft a master plan for the port.

1.3.1.2 Long-Term Planning. In the event that a national ports plan does not exist, the consultant should proceed with drafting a master plan, after studying the following components of long-term planning:

1. The role of the port-in particular:

a. The servicing of its inland area as regards foreign trade

b. The support that the port may offer to the region's commercial and industrial development

c. The attraction of transiting and transshipment traffic

2. The responsibility of the port for the construction of both port and land works. Frequently, more than one agency becomes involved: for example, when a port area is serviced by a railroad.

3. The land use in the area and the potential for expansion of the port. It is important that there be general agreement between interested parties over the proposed expansions and land use so that the resulting master plan meets with wide acceptance.

4. The policy for financing the port development, which may be formulated on the basis of its own resources and/or through a state grant.

In general, in modern port development the basic requirement is for large expanses of land to ensure productive operation of the individual terminals. Therefore, a careful examination of point 3 assumes particular importance.

1.3.1.3 Medium-Term Planning. As stated, each port development scheme should be incorporated in the master plan and should proceed to implementation following the results of an appropriate feasibility study. The latter study should refer individually to each independent section of the overall development proposal, such as a container terminal or a bulk cargo terminal. Thus, under a positive but reduced yield from the overall proposal, the risk of concealment of a nonproductive section is avoided. The drafting of a port development plan calls for the conduct of the following special studies:

1. Analysis of the functionality of the port as regards the services offered in conjunction with capacity

2. Designs, with budgets

3. Operational design, with budget

4. Financial and financing study

In large port development projects it is customary to reexamine the organization and management of the port operating agency and to recommend organizational improvements on a small or larger scale. It is possible that many of the ports in a country do not warrant a development effort beyond maintenance of existing structures or appropriate modification, such as to serve fishing vessels or pleasure craft. Such modifications are nowadays met quite frequently, since old ports, traditionally being part of the core of their town, cannot easily incorporate large land expanses needed in modern port layouts. Also, environmental and social issues do not allow in many cases major expanses of an old port site. The requirement that the citizenship should be granted free access to the waterfront of their city is gradually being respected by more and more authorities. Nevertheless, the problem of what to do with the old port installations is a complex one, where both the needs of the local community and the benefits of the relevant port authority should be accommodated. As noted above a common trend is to change the character of a past commercial port into a marina or fishing vessels refuge. There are also examples (London, Marseille, etc.) where old ports were completely refurbished into commercial or recreational zones, some of them arousing controversial discussions among town-palnners.

Continues...

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Table of Contents

Preface.

Contributors.

Introduction.

1. Port Planning.

2. Port-Related Marine Structures.

3. Seismic Design of Port Structures.

4. Long-Term Strength of Waterfront Structures Built on Creep-Sensitive Soils.

5. Design of Revetments.

6. Repair, Rehabilitation, Maintenance, and Upgrading of Waterfront Structures.

7. Floating Terminals.

8. Offshore Moorings.

9. Breakwaters.

10. Navigation Channel Design.

11. Dredging.

12. Environmental Factors in Port Planning and Design.

13. Port Security.

Index.