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Managing Empty Containers

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Shipping and Logistics Management

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Abstract

Container cost is one of the most important items of a container shipping company’s total costs. The basic elements of container cost include long-term capital investment and the day-to-day operations cost. Equipment supply is necessary for liner shipping companies to secure cargoes. Carriers must supply the right containers at the right time and in right place to shippers. To manage empty containers, it is necessary to have an understanding of the operations cost involved. The cost of maintaining containers includes equipment cost, storage cost, movement cost, and administrative cost. Managing empty containers efficiently is the goal for all the parties involved in the container transport chain. In this chapter we discuss a model for empty container management with four major dimensions: strategic planning, procurement of empty containers, movement of empty containers, and technical efficiency.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Container leasing companies lease containers to transport operators.

  2. 2.

    Devanning is the unloading of cargo from a shipping container.

  3. 3.

    Propulsion is the force that drives the ship forward.

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© 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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(2010). Managing Empty Containers. In: Shipping and Logistics Management. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-997-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-997-8_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84882-996-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84882-997-8

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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