Accurate and real-time ship trajectory prediction is a premise for high-stake tasks such as risk reduction, route planning, energy saving, etc., and becomes more feasible based on the processing of AIS data with sophisticated algorithms, so as to ensure high-standard navigation by providing efficient trajectory-based maritime traffic management. In contrast to current prevailing research striving to improve short-term prediction accuracy, this paper focuses on whereabouts estimation in order to improve longer-term predictions for vessels. Taking the meaningful whereabouts as implicit destinations, the novel Destination-Guided Trajectory Prediction (DGTP) model is proposed, which employs a cascaded Seq2Seq architecture with BiGRU to simultaneously predict both vessel destination and trajectory. Trajectory Alignment Loss (TAL) is also introduced to encourage precise matching between the predicted and true trajectories in optimizing the DGTP model. Experiments conducted on a large volume of AIS data demonstrate that both destination prediction and TAL loss can independently improve trajectory prediction performances. Moreover, the synergistic combination of destination prediction and TAL within the DGTP model leads to substantial accuracy enhancements, demonstrating the promising results in long-term prediction.
Background: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is transforming maritime industries, creating demand for new technological competencies that traditional educational frameworks may not address. South Africa’s maritime education system requires evaluation against evolving industry requirements to ensure graduate employability and sector competitiveness.
Objectives: This article benchmarks South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) maritime-related course offerings against 4IR skill requirements, identifying curriculum gaps and alignment issues between educational provision and industry needs.
Method: This study employed an exploratory curriculum benchmarking methodology, analysing 11 SAQA-registered maritime qualifications through systematic content analysis. Reflexive content analysis (RCA) was used to evaluate the presence and integration of emerging technological competencies within existing course structures, cross-referenced against the DHL Logistics Trend Radar (LTR) Framework.
Results: The analysis revealed significant gaps between current maritime curricula and 4IR industry requirements. The 11 SAQA maritime-related qualifications demonstrated minimal inclusion of essential 4IR technologies and associated skills within their module structures, creating potential employability challenges for graduates entering technologically advanced maritime environments.
Conclusion: This article provides the first systematic evaluation of South African maritime education alignment with 4IR requirements.
Contribution: This article contributes practical benchmarking tools for curriculum evaluation and offers specific recommendations for integrating emerging technologies into maritime education frameworks, supporting both educational institutions and industry stakeholders in addressing skills misalignment.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Abstract In 2024, the EU ETS was extended to international shipping in order to reduce the sector’s growing emissions and contribute to the EU’s climate targets. Previous studies of shipping emissions have mainly focused on the greenhouse gas emissions of individual ships, in specific areas, or on specific trade routes. However, this does not allow conclusions to be drawn on the emissions balance of the goods transported. This study attempts to fill this gap by presenting a simulation method that can be used to allocate emissions to global trade flows with the EU. It thereby contributes to the field of sustainable maritime supply chain management by offering a means to create carbon transparency along maritime supply chains. In this way, the emissions emitted between the port of origin and the port of destination can be estimated independently of the transshipment of goods along the route. The principle is illustrated by the flow of goods to and from the port of Hamburg.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Sustainable port growth remains a major concern in Asia and the Pacific, where more than half of the busiest ports are located and where two-thirds of the world's maritime trade is now concentrated. Most ports continue to strive to improve their performance and productivity to compete with the growing volume of sea trade, as well as the quality of their inland connections. At the same time, various air and water pollutants, as well as other harmful environmental externalities caused by port activities, the Port also needs to address urgent environmental issues to ensure the sustainability of this sea trade. In this study, the essential elements of sustainable port operations are explored through a comprehensive systematic literature review, which is not just a collection of existing studies, but it also analyzes and synthesizes various approaches to evaluate port performance from an environmental sustainability perspective. The transition from theory to practice, in the second part through the focus group discussion of this study, has analyzed the views of the management of some leading Ports in Malaysia to understand how the concept of sustainability theory is implemented in practical situations. The results of this study provide a detailed view of the environmental initiatives and strategies implemented by interacting with those directly involved in the operation and management of Malaysian ports. It records the challenges, successes and ambitions of Malaysian ports in their efforts towards sustainability.
Murilo Borges, Rubia Daiana Gress, Thiago Crippa Rey
Este estudo visa explorar o papel desempenhado pela Organização para a Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico (OCDE) na formulação e implementação de políticas tributárias para o setor de óleo e gás marítimo, enfocando em especial nas iniciativas relacionadas ao projeto Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). Isso porque, devido à alta lucratividade e à complexidade inerente às operações globais do setor de óleo e gás, as empresas muitas vezes empregam estratégias sofisticadas de planejamento tributário que levam à evasão fiscal, um desafio que a OCDE busca enfrentar com suas diretrizes de BEPS. Outrossim, a investigação almeja, em uma análise qualitativa, que se utiliza do método de revisão bibliográfica, perquirir a maneira pela qual as normas do BEPS podem se caracterizar como mecanismos efetivos ao combate da elisão fiscal. Portanto, busca-se concluir que é fundamental a compreensão das dinâmicas entre regulação tributária internacional e práticas de governança corporativa, oferecendo pressupostos sobre as melhorias necessárias para enfrentar a elisão fiscal no contexto globalizado do setor de óleo e gás marítimo.
Este ensaio corresponde ao apresentado pelo autor no Francesco Berlingieri Prize 2024, trabalho com o qual obteve o segundo lugar nesse concurso acadêmico. Em geral, o objetivo deste ensaio é analisar, justificar e determinar as características e os elementos que permitem que o seguro marítimo seja definido como uma disciplina jurídica autônoma, independente do direito marítimo e do direito dos seguros em geral, no modelo jurídico e legal chileno. Para tanto, será utilizado o sistema de núcleos dogmáticos, a partir da metodologia jurídica, que facilitará a identificação dos elementos ou etapas em que essa disciplina é construída, para concluir, ao final, se é - ou não - uma disciplina autônoma.
Abstract Ship wastes are incidentally regulated within the regime of marine pollution and the prevention of ship-source pollution is heavily reliant on the provision of adequate port reception facilities on land. However, the coordination between these facilities and further downstream management operations is still an unresolved issue. This paper examines from a legal perspective the challenges and opportunities related to the management of wastes generated on-board vessels after they are discharged to port reception facilities. Ship wastes are studied from a European Union (EU) law perspective and the author evaluates the integration of ship waste management within wider EU waste legislation and national waste management plans.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Stela D.J. Jaqueta, Emma N. Mashilo, Kelvinne Mocke
et al.
Background: There has been substantial research addressing physical distribution challenges within emerging markets, such as Asia and South America. However, this topic is not sufficiently covered for emerging markets in Africa. Emerging markets in Africa present unique challenges that should be known to any manager intending on operating in these markets.
Objectives: This study aims to provide insights into the prevalent physical distribution challenges that organisations face in emerging markets in Africa. Emphasis is placed on the adaptations organisations make to overcome these challenges. The study focused on multinational organisations operating in the fast-moving consumer goods, third-party logistics and retail industry, mostly from the perspective of the South African division.
Method: A generic qualitative research design was employed. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with middle to senior managers who have knowledge of their organisation’s distribution operations in African markets.
Results: The findings highlight the existence of prevalent challenges identified in the literature, namely, border congestion, informal markets and weak infrastructure, while providing insight into the sources of these challenges. Furthermore, other challenges, such as warehouse system misalignment, order processing times and variable border legislation are highlighted. Adaptations to these areas are discussed.
Conclusion: The study provides further academic understanding of the challenges multinationals are facing and adaptations they are implementing when trading in emerging African markets. Theoretically, the body of knowledge of physical distribution is enhanced by addressing distribution challenges in the African context. Additionally, the study assists organisations to understand how they can possibly adapt their physical distribution operations.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Yulia Panova, Albert Tan, Olli-Pekka Hilmola
et al.
Abstract E-commerce is experiencing strong global growth, and leading market is nowadays that of China, whether it is evaluated from the perspective of domestic market size or cross-border volumes. In this research work further understanding and knowledge is built from Chinese market using general choice algorithm (GCA) and two real-life case studies. The outcome of GCA model shows the list of the most preferable locations for e-commerce enterprise development. Findings of this study are also compared to two case studies of e-commerce entrance to Chinese market, where one of these two is operating in an omnichannel environment. Market entrance in these two was implemented through very simplified and centralized distribution structure, and using location of Shanghai. Actual operations are either outsourced or in-house produced. Cash on delivery (COD) is still the preferred payment method in e-commerce order fulfilment. One factor being rather important in case companies was distribution prices, where courier services all over the country play an important role. For logistics in general, and sea ports, research reveals that currently dominating areas of the Pearl and Yangtze River Delta face the challenge to some extent from other places of China as favourable locations for e-commerce and consumption are also at north and western parts.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
In recent years, advanced countries including the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan have been actively developing automated intermodal freight transport system technology aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and fine dust, minimizing infrastructure costs and logistics costs, and mitigating traffic congestion have. The purpose of this study is to provide direction for the development of automated intermodal freight transport system by analyzing trends of related technology. Keywords: Automated Freight Transport Systems(AFTS), Freight Transport, Efficient Transport, Port and Inland Hub, Technology Trend
Background: The demand for higher education in South Africa continues to increase, placing pressure on public higher education institutions to satisfy this demand. Supply chain management is one of the practices that may be implemented to ensure that public universities improve their operations and can, therefore, meet the increased demand for higher education in the country.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the barriers to the implementation of supply chain management practices at a South African public university.
Method: The study used a qualitative case study approach using a sample of 17 members of management and staff at a South African traditional university in the Limpopo Province. Data were collected using a combination of a focus group discussion and semi-structured in-depth interviews.
Results: The study generated eight themes that embody the barriers to the implementation of supply chain management at the institution. These themes were labelled as stakeholder buy-in, knowledge of supply chain management, supply chain systems and processes, procurement policy and practices, implementation of supply chain management, stakeholder change management, human resource management and organisational culture.
Conclusion: Various internal barriers impair the implementation of supply chain management practices at the institution. Administration at the institution has invested limited resources, time and initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of supply chain management. The focus should be directed to finding lasting solutions to each of the barriers identified in this study. Further studies should address the issue of external barriers to supply chain management in public higher education institutions.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Currently, high-income countries use multimodal transportation to export large quantities of secondhand vehicles to low-income countries. Secondhand vehicle export has shown its highest growth in recent years, especially in Korea. The problem of transporting secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asia is becoming an important issue, but few researchers are interested in it. The objective of this research is to determine the optimal transport network for exporting secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asian countries by combining experts’ opinions and real data from existing transport networks. The fuzzy Delphi method was applied to obtain factors to evaluate alternative multimodal transport networks for moving secondhand vehicles from Korea to Central Asian countries by judgment from experts. The analysis shows that among the five factors (total cost, total time, reliability, security, and transportation capability), total cost is the most considerable factor, followed by reliability, transportation capability, total time, and security. Additionally, in the mainly three multimodal transport networks, the sea+Trans-China Railway route is ranked first, followed by the sea+Trans-Siberian Railway and sea+truck routes.
Recent structural changes to the shipping industry triggered severe liquidity risks for not only small and medium-sized shipping lines but also global lines. Despite a severe downturn in the industry, a few lines have shown stable performance their finances. This study thus raises two research questions. Why do a few shipping lines maintain stable financial performance (FP)? How much does the governance feature (GVF) and the business scope (BSC) influence FP? To answer these questions, this research uses regression analysis (RA) to verify the relationships among the variables, GVF, BSC, and FP. The result of the RA showed a positive relationship between BSC and FP, but slight relationship between BSC and GVF and between knowledge and FP.
In the single cargo market, the ordinary market share analysis method has been the representative tool for revealed competitiveness analysis. This paper develops and employs an applied market share index called the additive market share (AMS). Data are collected from 15 major container ports for the 1998-2013 period. In comparison to the results of an ordinary market share analysis, the highest AMS is observed for the Bohai Rim port cluster from 2008, not for the Yangtze River cluster or the Pearl River cluster. There are substitutable relationships between Yangtze River and non-Chinese ports and between Pearl River and Bohai Rim ports from 2001. Finally, there is an internal competition at Pearl River and Yangtze River ports, whereas Bohai Rim and non-Chinese ports show internally complementary relationships.
Locally manufactured vehicles are destined (partly) for the export market and thus, global competitiveness is important. This article explores the challenges facing supply chains of locally manufactured vehicles in South Africa. The automotive industry is perceived to be the most advanced in supply chain management practices in South Africa. It has embraced technology and management practices that have transformed the manufacturing environment by using cutting-edge design and visualisation tools. However, the industry has fragilities and faces new and emerging supply chain challenges. A survey research design was employed and the data was collected through face-to-face semi-structured interview questionnaires based on the purposive sampling technique. Data analysis and interpretation was based on descriptive statistics using SPSS software. The findings revealed that there are challenges hindering best supply chain practices of local vehicle manufacturers. The research also revealed that there is a perceived difference in supply chain challenges between the different manufacturers of different origins in South Africa. Asian manufacturers felt much stronger about the adequacy of their information systems compared to the European manufacturers. Asian manufacturers tended to agree more than their European counterparts that labour problems were a challenge. European manufacturers, on the other hand, tended to agree more that rail transport is unreliable. This article contributes to the body of knowledge on supply chain practices in South Africa.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications
Heinri W. Freiboth, Leila Goedhals-Gerber, F. Esbeth Van Dyk
et al.
There is concern in the South African fruit industry that a large amount of fruit and money is lost every season due to breaks in the fruit export cold chain. The possibility of a large percentage of losses in a significant sector of the economy warranted further investigation. This article attempted to highlight some of the possible problem areas in the cold chain, from the cold store to the port, by analysing historic temperature data from different fruit export supply chains of apples, pears and grapes. In addition, a trial shipment of apples was used to investigate temperature variation between different pallets in the same container. This research has added value to the South African fruit industry by identifying the need to improve operational procedures in the cold chain.
Shipment of goods. Delivery of goods, Transportation and communications