چکیده:
This study analyses the concept of cost functions for semi- automated Straddle Carrier (SC), Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) and automated Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) container yard operating cranes. It develops a generic cost based model for a pair-wise comparison, analysis and evaluation of economic efficiency and effectiveness of container yard equipment to be used for decision- making by terminal planners and designers. The cost function analysis of this study incorporates major cost attributes used in modern container terminal operations and discussed in the literature. They play a determining role over the total cost of advanced operating systems in a container terminal. The cost model in this study enables the planner and designer of container terminals to make a pair-wise comparison of handling systems to help determine the most appropriate container yard operating system for a port, based on the required technological capabilities and functions. The sensitivity analysis proposed in this study compares and demonstrates the magnitude and intensity of the selected attributes which determine preference of one system over another. The analysis assists a terminal planner in decision-making and selecting a container yard operating system with a minimum operating cost and a maximum annual throughput.
خلاصه ماشینی:
"The cost model in this study enables the planner and designer of container terminals to make a pair-wise comparison of handling systems to help determine the most appropriate container yard operating system for a port, based on the required technological capabilities and functions.
Table (3) Average economic life of QSCs, SC, RTG and RMG cranes, years Recommending Body QSCs SC RTG RMG UNCTAD 10-12 6-10 15-18 - Containerisation International 10-14 15-20 15-20 20-22 Manufacturers 12-15 10-16 12-16 18-22 Port Operators 12-15 10-15 12-15 15-20 (Source: Compiled by author) ƒ Crane depreciation cost The depreciation of yard cranes may be considered as a process by which a container terminal gradually loses the fixed value of its investment in the equipment.
This study develops a cost based method with the steps indicated in Figure (1) and the process as follows: به تصویر صفحه مراجعه شود)) Step (1) Land development and maintenance costs Steiner (1992), Thuesen and Fabrycky (1993), UNCTAD (2002) and Guthrie and Lemon (2004) have proposed applying a Capital Recovery Factor (CRF) to calculate the annual cost of investment for `t` years of a project life [see Appendix (1)].
However, the evaluation and analysis have shown that cost parameters such as the initial cost of investment in the container yard equipment, equipment depreciation, maintenance and labour including total cost per container processed in a terminal favour the selection of a semi-automated RTG over a SC system."