Ships of all types spend a large part of their lives in port and this idle time adds considerably to the fixed cost of providing shipping service. Technological progress has empowered the construction of larger, faster and more economical vessels, but organisational and cargo handling innovations in the ports have not kept pace; in many instances the line-haul savings achieved by larger vessels are negated by excessive idle time in port, during which many costs continue unabated. The extent to which ship size affects loading time is thus a measure of the extent to which economies of scale can be implemented in the shipping industry; it is also important when making a rational selection of an optimal ship size. This study concentrates on the loading of grain ships in the port of Vancouver; the operations of the port are examined and the constituent factors of turnaround time delineated. Some of the possible causes of delay are investigated. The costs associated with unproductive ship time are then estimated and it is shown that many of the developments in the shipping industry are placing increased emphasis on a fast turnaround, the latter is often difficult to achieve because of disorganisation and conflicting interests in the port. The loading records of a sample of 1,305 grain ships are then examined with a view to determining the degree of size dependency inherent in the loading time and loading rate attained. It is concluded that there is an appreciable positive correlation between ship size and loading rate and that the portion of the variation explained by linear regression analysis is not inconsiderable. Combining these dependencies of ship size and loading rate with the dependency of ship size and cost estimated previously, the general form of the relationship between ship size and total loading time cost per ton is obtained. It is found that for those types of grain for which the results are most conclusive, the cost per ton falls up to large ship sizes. Having regard to the present loading procedures for grain in Vancouver some possible improvements are suggested, namely the provision of increased loading capacity and the aggregation of specific grades of grain around the harbour. A rough estimate of the possible benefits associated with these course of action is made. The potential benefits would seem to be considerable, but a high degree of co-operation and co-ordination between the various port interests would be required to attain them. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

This study first postulates the existence of an "operational" port, a nodal organization of port functions, defined in terms of inter-port shipping linkages of foreign trade shipping in Southwestern British Columbia. A number of variables for each foreign trade vessel is programmed into a series of port by port adjacency matrices. The set of ports (nodes) and ship movements (linkages) is regarded as a planar graph and real values assigned to both linkages and nodes. Through matrix analysis and network theoretic concepts, the connectivity and orientations of ports within the area are defined. The analysis reveals not only the dominance of the port of Vancouver but also the high degree of dependence of a number of adjacent ports upon it. Second, the relationship of the nodal status of a port to its location in a system of ports and to its operational role as a node between discrete transportation networks is demonstrated by an examination of the movement patterns of export lumber and general cargo imports through the port of Vancouver. Lumber movement patterns to shipping points, derived from computer analyses, reveal the significance of innovatory shipping technologies, together with other necessary conditions, as the basis of explanation of nodal status and network structuring. The movements of general cargo imports are examined in a series of data matrices computationally derived from Shipping Manifest data. Each matrix preserves the relationship between foreland origin; and hinterland destination and the analysis clearly demonstrates the correlation of hinterland limits with the foreland origin of flows. Third, the relationships between the principles of nodal structuring and the concept of port hierarchy in spatial theory are explored. The adequacy of an alternative concept of port hierarchy derived from an analysis of the network of shipping linkages between ports is postulated and a descriptive model of port network development in British Columbia is formulated. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate

The primary purpose of the thesis is to evaluate the need for a container handling facility in the Port of Vancouver. During the late 1960's, the shipping industry has been urging construction of a container berth to protect its position against losing traffic to nearby ports which already have container facilities in operation. The National Harbours Board, on the other hand, has been reluctant to commit funds to a long-term project for construction and operating of a facility when the need for a facility is still poorly defined. The majority of claims by either the shipping industry or the port authority have been based on observation and in no instance has an in-depth study been presented covering all aspects that would support the contentions of either side. The study reviews the history of containerization in world trade and describes the developments in containerization at major seaports. Criteria for port planning are discussed, followed by a review of containerization taking place in Canadian ports. Recent studies undertaken to forecast potential containerizable cargo were examined to determine the significance of containerization in the intermodal systems and to highlight developments in world trade, fleet expansion, and in port planning. The studies also provided a framework in which to develop the method for determining the potential container traffic in Vancouver. The method, described herein as a Container Calculation Model, determines the potential containerizable tonnage and number of containerloads in major trade routes serving Vancouver. Input data for all import-export commodities on a route-by-route basis were obtained from the National Harbours Board. Each commodity was classified by its suitability to containerization by using both economic and physical criteria. Results of the Container Calculation Model showed the maximum number of loaded containers which would have been handled in the Port of Vancouver during 1967 would have been 87,700 20-foot containers. This includes both inbound and outbound traffic for all classes of containerization. In terms of total potential tonnage, the port would have handled 785,000 tons import, and 381,000 tons export in containers. Total import tons amounted to 1,969,000 tons of which 39.9 per cent was potentially containerizable. Only 3.5 per cent of 12,130,000 tons outbound was suitable for containerization. In the study, only 'Prime' commodities are used as the basis of evaluation of a container facility. During 1967, 43,100 units would have been handled on thirteen major trade routes. Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia account for the majority of traffic. In terms of containerloads, the overall imbalance is almost 5:1 in favour of inbound traffic. On the Orient route, the imbalance is 10:1. Results of the computer analysis for potential containerized cargo was compared with the volume of actual container traffic during 1967, 1968 and early 1969. In 1967, only about two per cent of the potential was being realized. In terms of both container tonnage and number of containerloads, the study concluded that there is a definite potential for increased container traffic in the Port of Vancouver 'Prime' container traffic is sufficient to consider one container berth, served by one container crane, and thirty acres of backup area. One container berth would be sufficient to handle port requirements up until at least the mid 1970's. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

While most research on Port Planning in the past has focused on the marine and rail aspects, this study examines the urban influence on port development. It -is a case study of a portion of the waterfront of the Port of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which lies adjacent to a metropolitan area of 1,000,000 persons. A survey was carried out on all the waterfront users to determine origins, destinations and volumes of cargo handled, frequency of service calls, employment and space requirement, site and plant characteristics, and mode and frequency of transportation. A second survey on a major cargo terminal was completed to determine the origin and destination of truck trips, and the length of time spent at the waterfront. A third survey sampled 25% of the 350 marine service industries as part of an economic impact study of the port. The conclusions reached are as follows: 1. The volume shipped through the Port of Vancouver will double during the next decade. As the 1968 capacity of the port was barely adequate to handle the existing flows a twofold expansion of facilities is necessary if the projected flows are to be accommodated. 2. Space to accommodate shipping operations of these proportions is not available without either land reclamation or major disruption of adjoining urban sites. Within the waterfront, 50% of the waterfront users indicate a need within five years to increase their sites for a total of 84 acres. 3. Congestion on the urban street system increased the cost of trucking from a general cargo terminal by 27%. 4. The unproductive time of trucks delayed at one general cargo terminal amounted to $750,000 annually. 5. The present switching methods and arrangements of the railway lines impose delivery delays and increase costs, amounting to about $400,000 annually. 6. Cargoes and waterfront products have few direct links with the city. Only 0.6% of the port’s exports originate from the city and 10% of its imports are destined for the city. 7. An urban location for the port is no longer necessary due to the change in cargo flows and service links. Eighty-five per cent of the major port service sector indicate they would remain in the city should the entire port operations be moved south, 18 miles, to Roberts Bank. 8. The urban growth has resulted in one-third of the port waterfront being used for non-port functions. In addition, three-quarters of the port interface is being redeveloped with urban renewal and residential projects, which is effectively preventing port expansion in this direction. 9. Management of the port is impeded, in that no single agency exercises jurisdiction over port lands, to provide coordinated planning. 10. The variation in downtown land values are reflected in similar variations in waterfront assessments, irrespective of the waterfront function, or its trade and service links. This study found that the conflict between the shipping activity and the adjoining urban area is a significant impediment to the present operation and future development of the Port of Vancouver. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

While most research on Port Planning in the past has focused on the marine and rail aspects, this study examines the urban influence on port development. It is a case study of a portion of the waterfront of the Port of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which lies adjacent to a metropolitan area of 1,000,000 persons. A survey was carried out on all the waterfront users to determine origins, destinations and volumes of cargo handled, frequency of service calls, employment and space requirement, site and plant characteristics, and mode and frequency of transportation. A second survey on a major cargo terminal was completed to determine the origin and destination of truck trips, and the length of time spent at the waterfront. A third survey sampled 25% of the 350 marine service industries as part of an economic impact study of the port. The conclusions reached are as follows: 1. The volume shipped through the Port of Vancouver will double during the next decade. As the 1968 capacity of the port was barely adequate to handle the existing flows a twofold expansion of facilities is necessary if the projected flows, are to be accommodated. 2. Space to accommodate shipping operations of these proportions is not available without either land reclamation or major disruption of adjoining urban sites. Within the waterfront, 50% of the waterfront users indicate a need within five years to increase their sites for a total of 84 acres. 3. Congestion on the urban street system increased the cost of trucking from a general cargo terminal by 27%. 4. The unproductive time of trucks delayed at one general cargo terminal amounted to $750,000 annually. 5. The present switching methods and arrangements of the railway lines impose delivery delays and increase costs, amounting to about $400,000 annually. 6. Cargoes and waterfront products have few direct links with the city. Only 0.6% of the port's exports originate from the city and 10% of its imports are destined for the city. 7. An urban location for the port is no longer necessary due to the change in cargo flows and service links. Eighty-five per cent of the major port service sector indicate they would remain in the city should the entire port operations be moved south, 18 miles, to Roberts Bank. 8. The urban growth has resulted in one-third of the port waterfront being used for non-port functions. In addition, three-quarters of the port interface is being redeveloped with urban renewal and residential projects, which is effectively preventing port expansion in this direction. 9. Management of the port is impeded, in that no single agency exercises jurisdiction over port lands, to provide coordinated planning. 10. The variation in downtown land values are,reflected in similar variations in waterfront assessments, irrespective of the waterfront function, or its trade and service links. This study found that the conflict between the shipping activity and the adjoining urban area is a significant impediment to the present operation and future development of the Port of Vancouver. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate