An analysis of rail freight operational efficiency and mode share in the British port-hinterland container market

The growth in container shipping poses considerable challenges to efforts to reduce the negative externalities associated with freight transport. There are particular concerns about the impacts of the associated port-hinterland freight flows. Through empirical research, this paper examines trends in the operational efficiency of the British port-hinterland container rail freight market and to assess the impacts of any changes on the overall sustainability of this market. Original survey work conducted in 2007 and 2015 has allowed longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of the characteristics of this market. The survey findings reveal that rail’s mode share of port container throughput (in TEU) has increased from 14.7 per cent in 2007 to 16.6 per cent in 2015 and it is likely that its share of the associated hinterland activity has also risen. Rail was carrying 25 per cent more TEU by 2015 without an increase in train service provision. Increases in mean train capacity and mean load factor were observed, leading to growth in the mean train load from 44 TEU in 2007 to 55 TEU in 2015. This considerable improvement in operational efficiency is expected to have reduced the negative externalities per unit of transport activity associated with the rail-borne hinterland container flows, though scope is identified for further improvements in sustainability.

[1]  Marc Levinson,et al.  The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger , 2006 .

[2]  Dezhi Zhang,et al.  Joint optimization of logistics infrastructure investments and subsidies in a regional logistics network with CO2 emission reduction targets , 2016 .

[3]  Allan G. Woodburn,et al.  An investigation of container train service provision and load factors in Great Britain , 2008 .

[4]  Marin Marinov,et al.  An analysis of the methods used to calculate the emissions of rolling stock in the UK , 2014 .

[5]  Allan G. Woodburn,et al.  Transferring freight to 'greener' transport roads , 2010 .

[6]  Milan Janic,et al.  An assessment of the performance of the European long intermodal freight trains (LIFTS) , 2008 .

[7]  Jason Monios,et al.  Intermodal freight corridor development in the United States. , 2011 .

[8]  Teijo Palander,et al.  Environmental benefits from improving transportation efficiency in wood procurement systems , 2016 .

[9]  J. M. Vleugel,et al.  Estimating potential reductions in externalities from rail–road substitution in Trans-European freight transport corridors , 2012 .

[10]  Pedro José Pérez-Martínez,et al.  Changes in the external costs of freight surface transport In Spain , 2013 .

[11]  Theo Notteboom,et al.  Port Hinterland Connectivity , 2015 .

[12]  Franklin Farell.  Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area: Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system , 2014 .

[13]  Regina Asariotis,et al.  Maritime Transport and the Climate Change Challenge , 2012 .

[14]  Vasco Augusto Sanchez Rodrigues,et al.  The longer and heavier vehicle debate: A review of empirical evidence from Germany , 2015 .

[15]  Johan Woxenius,et al.  Comparing maritime containers and semi-trailers in the context of hinterland transport by rail , 2011 .

[16]  Johan Woxenius,et al.  Review of Road Hauliers' Measures for Increasing Transport Efficiency and Sustainability in Urban Freight Distribution , 2013 .

[17]  Valerio De Martinis,et al.  What about Train Length and Energy Efficiency of Freight Trains in Rescheduling Models , 2015 .

[18]  Allan G. Woodburn,et al.  A logistical perspective on the potential for modal shift of freight from road to rail in Great Britain , 2003 .

[19]  Philip Laird,et al.  Rail freight efficiency and competitiveness in Australia , 1998 .

[20]  Lilach Nachum.  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): World Investment Report 2000: Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions and Development United Nations, New York and Geneva 2000. (Biblio Service) , 2001 .

[21]  Alan C. McKinnon,et al.  Efficient hinterland transport infrastructure and services for large container ports , 2015 .