1、 1 外文翻译 Liner Shipping Network Material Source: Shipping and Logistics Management Author:T.C.E. Cheng etc Abstract A liner shipping network is a form of collaboration in the liner shipping industry where actors such as intermodal service providers, container management service providers, and contain
2、er terminal operators share resources and assets to develop mutually beneficial strategies to seek operational performance gains. This chapter examines the liner shipping industry from the network perspective with a focus on developing an analytical framework for the development and operations of li
3、ner shipping networks. To achieve this objective, we use a case study to establish the framework for the reference of liner shipping companies and their business partners to operate and manage their networks competently. To understand the participation of liner shipping companies in liner shipping n
4、etworks, we also explore the driving forces for development and operation of the networks. The findings provide a useful framework for liner shipping companies and their business partners to evaluate their operations for cost and service improvements in managing liner shipping networks. Introduction
5、 A liner shipping company operates a fleet of ships to provide a fixed liner shipping service, at regular intervals, between ports, and offers transport services for any cargoes in the catchments areas served by those ports that are ready for transport by the sailing dates (Lun and Browne 2009). In
6、general, a liner shipping company accepts cargo from all the potential shippers to sail on the dates in a published shipping schedule. The primary functions of a liner shipping company are to: offer a regular service for cargo consignments and process the associated shipping documentation; charge in
7、dividual consignments; load containers onto ships and discharge containers from ships; run a shipping service on a fixed shipping schedule; plan the tonnage availability to serve the shipping demand, which may require building new vessels and chartering additional vessels to meet the demand requirem
8、ents. 2 The operation of a liner shipping business consists of two key elements: trade demand and the physical shipping network (Song et al. 2005). Trade demand represents a requirement that a certain volume of cargo is transported from the cargo origin to its destination: The volume of global trade
9、 has consistently exceeded that of world output (Park and De 2004) because of: - an increase in the integration of national economies across the globe; - a deepening of international division of labour; - an increase in standardized business operations; - a surge in the globalized production pattern
10、. A physical liner shipping network, which exists to serve trade demand, encompasses regular sea transport services between specified ports where vessel schedules are announced to shippers in advance. Operation of liner container shipping services requires extensive investment in shipping infrastruc
11、ture in terms of container ships, advanced information and communications technologies,containers, shipping agents, and network development among actors in the industry (Ting and Tzeng 2003, 2004). A shipping network comprises sea lanes that link up ports, with connecting services provided by shippi
12、ng lines, among which cooperation is a popular practice in areas such as slot-sharing agreements and multimodal transport (Ryoo and Thanopoulou 1999). In a liner shipping network, member companies and their network partners share resources and assets to seek operational gains (Sheppard and Seidman 2
13、001). More aggressive liner shipping companies may strive to fully utilize their network to maximize their cost and service advantages, where access to network resources is an important source of competitive advantage for them. Therefore, a liner shipping network is a form of network in which firms
14、share resources and assets among the network members and with other actors, such as intermodal service providers, container management service providers, and container terminal operators, to develop mutually beneficial strategies to seek operational gains (Johnsen et al. 2000). There has been a grow
15、ing trend for firms to benefit from various forms of external collaboration (Badatacco 1991; Gulati 1995). Enterprises in different industrial sectors are seeking external collaboration opportunities to improve their performance. The need to combine complementary assets plays a role in the growth of
16、 3 interfirm collaboration, and the network-based form of organizations is conducive to restructuring a mature industry (Powell 1996). In liner shipping, the growth of such network-based organizations has emerged as an important research topic.There is increasing agreement about the basic characteri
17、stics of network organizations (Snow et al. 1992), where actors can benefit from entering a network. What remains unclear in the maritime literature includes why liner shipping networks are formed and how liner shipping networks are created and operated. Network-based Organizations The term “network
18、” is often used to describe any relationship, ranging from an executives “black book” of useful contacts to an integrated company activity (Snow et al. 1992). The existence of networks can be explained by the resourcedependency theory, i.e., a network member provides a function that is complementary
19、 to and synergistic with the differing contributions of other members in the network (Richardson 1972). The need for complementary resources is a key driver for network members in the liner shipping industry to network together (Tage 1999), where they collaborate beyond organizational boundaries to
20、attain cost and service advantages (Kale et al. 2002; Dyer and Nobeoka 2000). A move to a more flexible network-style structure took place in the 1980s in response to intense competition and a fast pace of change (Miles and Snow 1992). This network perspective is becoming important in organization t
21、heory (Nohria 1992), which directs attention away from the formal structure and patterns of social relationships within organizations to informal ties. It also represents an alternative perspective to recast the notion of a market in a more relational and socially embedded direction (Granovetter 198
22、5). Many firms are organizing themselves into the network-based form of operations. In liner shipping, network members enter networks to access resources for business growth and performance improvement (Galaskiewiez 1985; Gulati and Gargiulo 1999). Strategic interdependence, a situation in which one
23、 firm has the resources or capabilities beneficial to but not possessed by others (Gulati 1995), can be developed among actors within a liner shipping network. For instance, liner shipping companies collaborate with railway operators to provide inland transport services to their customers so that a
24、wider coverage of transport services can be offered to them. A liner shipping network emerges when members in the network obtain performance benefits. Potential benefits motivate actors to invest in the 4 relationships with others in the network (Dyer 1997). The success factors of shipping networks
25、include cooperation and trust among network members, together with their ability to deploy resources to form and operate the network. The concentration in the liner shipping industry has led to some actors, such as container terminal operators, to be more cooperative (Walker et al. 1997). In 2003, t
26、he top ten liner shipping companies increased their carrying capacity by 13.0% to 3.8 million TEUs, which was 45.7% of the world total container carrying capacity (UNCTAD 2004). The largest liner shipping companies are influential in managing the networks within the liner shipping industry. Globaliz
27、ation of the shipping business has resulted in more bargaining power for liner shipping companies as they have more choices in calling at ports. On the other hand, if an actor in the liner shipping network (e.g., a container terminal operator) loses one of the global liner shipping companies as its
28、customers, it will face a substantial reduction in its container handling throughput (Song 2003). SMART Driving Forces The driving forces, referred to as the SMART factors, which explain why liner shipping companies use network-based management to deliver their liner shipping services can be classif
29、ied into a strategic initiative for performance gain, market coverage, additional business, reduction in waste, and technology development. Strategic Initiative for Performance Gain Developing networks in the liner shipping industry reflects the goals of liner shipping companies to achieve operation
30、al performance gains (Panayides and Cullinane 2002). Cost reduction and risk avoidance are essential for liner shipping companies to reap operational performance gains. To achieve these objectives, it is desirable for liner shipping companies to integrate externally with other players and to join ne
31、tworks in response to the increasing competitive pressure to reduce operational costs and meet shippers expectations (Holcomb and Manrodt 2000). Developing strategies for reducing costs and lowering the exposure to risk for capital investment represents a driving force for liner shipping companies t
32、o join a liner shipping network (Slack et al. 2002). From the perspective of risk avoidance, capacity sharing is a way to reduce capacity risk because a liner shipping company can reduce its investment in fleet size by collaborating with other liner shipping companies if it wishes to offer its shipp
33、ing services in new locations. Practices such as space sharing, strengthening multimodal transport systems, providing equipment to shippers in the right place and at the right 5 time, and developing centralized information systems are common practices for liner shipping companies to pursue their str
34、ategic objectives. Percentage share of world slot capacity Operator 2006 2007 Maersk 18.20% 16.60% CHKY 11.70% 11.90% Grand Alliance 10.80% 11.80% New World Alliance 7.90% 7.50% Total 48.60% 47.80% Source UNCTAD (2008) 6 译文 班船运输网络 资料来源：船运和后勤杂志 作者： T.C.E. Cheng 等 摘要： 班船运输网络是指多式联运服务 提供商、集装箱管理服务提供商、集装箱
35、码头资源分享者等在班轮航运业的中进行合作，以达到资产开发互惠的战略和实现经营业绩收益的增长目的。本文从网络的角度探讨班轮航运业，着力于制定一项发展和经营的班轮运输网络的分析框架。为了实现这一目的，我们使用了一个案例，来建立研究涉及到的班轮运输公司以及他们的商业合作伙伴的例子。以使得他们的工作网络得以顺利运作。理解班轮运输的参与公司在班轮运输网络的作用，同时我们也探索推动班船运输发展的自身动力。这些发现给班轮运输公司提供一个有力的支撑，他们的商业伙伴可以准确地评价他们自身的 行为在班轮运输网络管理中所需要的成本和得到的服务情况。 介绍： 班船航运公司经营的运输船队提供一个固定、有序的运输服务，在
36、一定时间内，在各个港口之间，由那些港口对货物在港区期间提供运输服务，准备提供运输服务的开船日期表。总的来说，班船航运公司接受货物从所有潜在发货人提供的运送时间表。班船航运公司的主要功能： 提供一个货物托运和处理相关的货运单据定期服务； 个人托运服务； 监控船舶的运输和装载能力； 运行在一个固定的船期航运服务； 计划船舶吨位可用性的服务需求， 为了满足额外的船只满足需求，可能要求建立新的船只和许可证。 班船操作航运业有以下两个主要的元素：贸易的需求和运输航线。贸易的需求是指把一定体积的货物从货物原产地运到目的地： 全球的货物贸易始终超过世界上的产出因为： 国家经济增长在全球范围内整合； 国际分工
37、的深化； 标准化的业务增长； 全球化生产模式。 理论上所说的班轮运输网络，是为了满足贸易的需求，包括定期在指定港7 口之间海上运输服务，船期提前公布付货人。集装箱班轮航运服务的运作，需要大量的投资，航运的集装箱船，先进的信息和通讯技术，集装箱方 面的基础设施，船舶代理，及同行业交流网络的发展。 一个运输网络包括港口之间的衔接，海上通道的贯通，其中的合作是在诸如slot-sharing 共享协议，多式联运口岸地区流行的做法。在班船运输网络，成员公司和合作伙伴共享其网络资源和资产，以寻求业务增长。班轮运输公司尽可能努力充分利用他们的网络最大化他们的成本，服务优势，访问网络资源，是他们的竞争优势的重
38、要来源。因此，班轮运输网络是一种企业资源共享，网络成员以及与其他成员之间的，例如多式联运服务提供商，集装箱管理服务提供商，集装箱码头因子，发展互惠战略寻求收益的 系统。 企业受益于各种形式的外部协作已经成为一种日益增长的趋势。企业在不同产业的部门中寻求外部的合作机会来改善他们的性能。需要结合互补的资产发挥了企业间的合作，有拉动增长作用，组织网络基础，有利于形成一个成熟的工业结构调整。在班轮运输上，这种基于网络组织的发展已成为一个重要的研究课题。人们越来越担心的网络组织的基本特征协议，怎么才能使成员们能够受益于进入网络。在关于海上运输学理论研究上，包括为什么班轮运输网络会形成，如何班轮运输网络被
39、创建、经营，都进行了详细地分析。 基于网络的组织： 术语 “ 网络 ” 常常被用于 定义成员之间的任何联系关系，从执行的 “ 黑书 ”有益的接触以至一家综合性公司活动。网络的存在可以由资源依赖理论，即，船运网络之间的成员提供一个相辅相成，并与其他成员的不同网络中的协同贡献。为补充资源的需求是一个关键，网络成员需要南北资源互补作为主要驱动力使班船航运业网络结合在一起，实现降低成本和增加服务优势。 一个更灵活的网络式结构转变，发生在 20 世纪 80 年代，针对激烈的竞争和快节奏的变化。这个网络的角度正在成为重要的组织理论，从正式组织内部结构和社会关系的模式切入，以非正式的关系。它也代表了另一种视
40、角来重新塑 造一个市场的概念，以更关系和社会嵌入方向。许多公司正在以网络为基础的形式本身组织各种活动。 在班轮运输，网络成员进入网络使用资源，以谋求业务增长及业绩改善。战略相互依赖，另一个情况，一个企业拥有的资源或能力的有益但不被别人占用，可以在班船运输网络被开发。例如，班轮运输公司与铁路运营商协作，可以提供一个覆盖面广的运输服务。班轮运输网络出现时，网络成员获得的性能优势。潜在的好处刺激着成员们，使他们在网络中更加投入。 运送的成功因素网络包括合作和其中网络成员，连同他们的能力部署资表8 格，操作网络。浓度在班船航运业导 致了一些成员，例如集装箱码头算子。 2003年，最高的前十班轮运输公司
41、提高他们的承载能力由 13.0%，提高了 3.8 个百万标准箱 45.7%的世界总航运承载能力。最大班轮运输公司有影响在管理网络内班船航运业。全球化的航运业导致了更多议价能力为班轮运输公司提供了更多的港口选择。另一方面，就一个成员在班船运输网络失去了全球班轮运输公司作顾客，它将面对一个坚实减少在它的集装箱装卸吞吐量。 灵活的驱动力 驱动力，简称为智能因素， 解释为为什么班轮运输公司使用基于网络的管理以供他们的班轮运输服务可以转化为提升市场占有 率，区分战略的优越性，并促进技术的发展。 战略的倡议收益 发展中的班轮航运业网络反映了班轮运输公司的目标，以实现业务效率提的升、降低成本和规避风险，是班
42、船公司的经营业绩获得收益的必不可少条件。为了实现这些目标，就需要对可取的班船公司外部结构进行整合，并与其他成员一起应对日益增加的竞争压力，降低运营成本，满足货主的期望。制定减少成本和降低风险。从规避风险的角度来看，资本投资策略代表了班轮公司加入班轮运输网络他的愿望。如果它希望在新地点提供航运服务合作，那么资源共享是一种减少风险的手段，因为班轮公司可以减少与其 他班轮公司不必要的竞争。其做法，如空间共享、加强多式联运系统、提供设备，在适当的地点贴和正确的时间去委托托运人，发展集中式信息系统是船公司实现其战略目标的普遍做法。 表 1 资源共享 所占的百分比 经营公司 2006 年 2007 年 马士基航运公司 18.20% 16.60% CHK 公司 11.70% 11.90% Grand Alliance 公司 10.80% 11.80% New World Alliance 公司 7.90% 7.50% 总计 48.60% 47.80% 数据统计于 2008 年
