This work presents two mechanisms for modeling alliance formation between leader carriers in a freight network for more efficient utilization of their resources: partial collaboration and complete collaboration. The performance of these alliance formation mechanisms is compared against the no collaboration case for various network topologies and demand levels. In the partial collaboration case, each leader carrier first maximizes his individual profits and leases out the residual capacity to other carriers. In the complete collaboration case all leader carriers join together to maximize the profit of the alliance. The profits are then distributed among the alliance members using the Shapley value principle. Numerical tests reveal that the topology of the network and the demand levels play an important role in determining the profits from each collaboration mechanism. It was also inferred that each of these factors also play a major role in determining the best collaboration strategy. / text

In this thesis 5 Swedish companies that use logistics service providers (LSPs: carriers, intermediaries and third party logistics providers) are interviewed to establish how Swedish LSPs fare in terms on coordination. More specifically, the research is focused on answering 3 questions: (1) what are users’ perceptions about their LSPs’ coordination, (2) what coordination behaviors are the LSPs most and least successful in, and (3) what factors are affecting LSPs’ coordination.

Purpose: Corporations today see a greater responsibility towards society regarding the environmental impact of their actions, using available transportation options that are more eco-friendly can reduce this impact significantly. Martinsen and Björklund (2012) identifies a set of gaps between supply and demand of green logistics services. This paper aims to address what it is that affects the demand for these alternative solutions and what could be done to increase the usage of them, thereby decreasing this gap. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative study with six Logistics Service Providers (LSP) and 24 companies that purchase transportation services, all operating in Sweden. Data is collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with people responsible for the purchasing of transports as well as key account managers within the service providing companies. Findings: Just as the LSP’s interviewed in this paper thought, the main focus of the transport buying companies are the costs. Therefore paying extra only to benefit the environment and not the economy of the company is not something a lot of companies are prepared to do at this time. However there are solutions such as intermodality which are highly demanded, these are often both cost effective and more environmentally friendly, the problem as many companies see it, is that the rail network needs to expand to be able to cover bigger areas and increase the capacity. Research limitations/implications: The research paper focuses on companies operating on the Swedish market, for that reason findings cannot be generalized to other countries and sectors. Practical implications: Findings can be used by LSP’s and political decision making parties to get a better understanding of the demand for this type of services and what is perceived as important by the customers. Originality/value: There is a lack of earlier studies that mainly focus on the demand of more environmentally friendly transport services. Therefore a study of this kind is important to create an understanding and thereby improve the overall situation on the market in terms of environmental sustainability.

As a result of widespread and effective usage of internet, firms tend to collaborate to reduce their operating costs. This thesis analyzes collaboration opportunities for a group of small shippers. A transportation intermediary determining the optimal actions for arriving shippers and a mechanism allocating savings to the shippers is proposed in the thesis. The performance of the intermediary is assessed by using computational analyses. An experimental set is formed that is by changing the parameters that are expected to significantly affect the optimal policy structure and the surplus budget (or deficit) changes. It is seen that increasing variable costs like cross-assignment cost and waiting cost leads to the increase in comparative performance of the optimal policy compared to the na&iuml / ve policy, which is defined according to a simple rule, although increasing dispatching cost, which can be considered as a fixed cost, leads to an opposite result. The performance of the optimal policy is also assessed by using a myopic policy, in which shippers are trying to maximize their own benefit without considering the overall benefit of the grand coalition.

This dissertation treats a topic that has received increasing attention as of late, namely that of the environment and in particular increasing levels of CO2 emissions caused by transport. The aim of the dissertation is to explain how a shipper, through various measures, can reduce transport-related CO2 emissions when centralising a distribution system and how this affects the provision of cost efficient customer service. Earlier research has stated that this type of structural change is considered unfavourable from an environmental viewpoint as it increases the amount of transport work generated by the system and thereby transport-related CO2 emissions. The argument that is made in this dissertation, however, is that transport work is only one aspect to consider when evaluating how transport-related CO2 emissions are affected by this type of structural change. The reason for this being that a change in structure and management of the same can enable a shipper to make other changes within the distribution system that can prove beneficial from an environmental perspective as they decrease the amount of CO2 emissions per tonne kilometre. Theoretically, the dissertation has its foundation in two different areas in logistics research. The first area concerns logistics and the environment, where the frame of reference examines measures discussed in previous research with reference to how a shipper can reduce CO2 emissions related to transport. The second area treated in the frame of reference concerns how costs and service are affected by the structural change of centralising a distribution system and how this relates to the measures discussed in the first part of the framework. From a methodological viewpoint, the dissertation is based on case studies. These are presented in four appended manuscripts (a licentiate thesis and three papers), where the results of these studies are used as empirical input for the synthesising analysis that is led in the dissertation. A key deliverable from the research presented in this dissertation is a classification of measures that increase transport-related CO2 emissions and measures that decrease transport-related CO2 emissions when a distribution system is centralised. By presenting this classification, the dissertation extends previous research on the environmental impact of various logistics strategies, where centralised distribution is an example of such a strategy. With regards to this classification, it is concluded that a shipper that seeks to centralise its distribution system in a more CO2 efficient manner will aim to identify a structural configuration that minimises the increase in transport work. This is imperative as there is a close link between transport work and CO2 emissions. Hence, a CO2 efficient centralised distribution system will include more central warehouses than that advocated by earlier research on centralised distribution. This in turn implies that a shipper may not reach the full potential in economies of scale as advocated in earlier research. However, such a configuration will simultaneously lead to less transport work, whereby a shipper will be able to offset the increase in transport work by employing measures that decrease the amount of transport-related CO2 emissions per amount of transport work. The results also indicate that in addition to reducing transport-related CO2 emissions, some of these measures come with a cost incentive. By employing such measures, a shipper can come to compensate for the potential loss in economies of scale caused by employing a structural configuration that seeks to minimise the increase in transport work rather than to maximise economies of scale. By this means, the dissertation contributes to research on centralised distribution by considering how a reduction in transport-related CO2 emissions is interrelated with the provision of cost efficient customer service.

The research question explores the viable options a shipper has in using different logistic solutions. An investigation was conducted by first understanding the different provider levels based on their activities and then differentiate the logistic solutions based on attributes that are important for a shipper in their supply chain. These attributes were; organization, information technology (IT), flexibility and transportation quality aspects. Once the investigation was done, it was applied on a case study at a shipper to help answer the research question. The study confirms previous findings and provides additional evidence that suggests that generally the logistic solutions definition match with the literature. The evidence shows that the third-party logistics providers need to be redefined due to the fact that they are capable of performing other logistic solutions activities within their company groups. Additional evidence from the shippers indicates that two of three that were contacted do not only use one type of logistic solution in their organizations or company groups. These findings suggest several possibilities of action for Shipper A to proceed in undertaking further studies of what the implications are of changing their current setup to another. Also the study confirms that Shipper A with the research question in mind has a viable possibility to insource to a second-party logistics provider from their current third-party logistics provider setup in certain flows. Other viable possibility is to outsource the third-party logistics provider’s activities to a fourth-party logistics provider. Based on confirmations the results have shown, all PLs are viable to use in all the flows except the African customers that are not able to use any form of second-party logistics providers.

No description available.

Background  Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions necessitates a decrease in carbon emission caused by the truck transport industry. To combat the threat of global warming, goals are being set up on a global, national and corporate level. These goals are putting pressure on logistics service providers to decrease the emissions within the truck transport industry. Implementation of green practices is found to be especially challenging within heavy truck transport due to weight and distance of the transport characteristics. In order to achieve emission reductions, logistics service providers are dependent on the alignment with their transport buyers, known as shippers to implement green logistics practices. Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify challenges and enablers for sustainable green transitions within heavy truck transports among shippers and logistics service providers. The study formulates two research question to help achieve the purpose, these questions are focused on challenges and enablers among both shippers and logistics service providers.  Method The study employs an explorative research approach in a multiple case study setting. Three configurations of shipper-LSP relationships are studied and analyzed through thematic analysis, the researchers also conducted a cross-case analysis to compare and identify similarities and differences between the cases in order to draw conclusions.  Conclusion A green transition within the heavy truck transport sector face numerous challenges. The challenges include a high dependency on vehicle development, lacking infrastructure, alignment issues between shippers and logistics service providers and trade off dilemmas. In order to overcome the issues findings, suggest that shippers and LSPs should focus on creating shared goals in order to facilitate implementation of green logistics practices and mitigate the challenges.

Ces dernières décennies ont été marquées par une accélération des échanges mondiaux. Le transport maritime du fait de son coût peu élevé a contribué à ce développement. En effet, aujourd’hui près de quatre vingt dix pourcent des marchandises transportées dans le monde le sont par voie maritime. L’augmentation des volumes échangés et la capacité des navires ont fait augmenter les risques d’incidents et du même coup la responsabilité de tous les acteurs des contrats maritimes de transport de marchandises. La responsabilité du chargeur, qui a été longtemps restreinte à un simple cas excepté libérant la responsabilité du transporteur, prend son essor. Elle s’autonomise autour de la construction d’un régime général et spécial qu’il convient de mieux ordonner. A cet égard, l’étude comparative des expériences sino-françaises dans le domaine des responsabilités du chargeur fait apparaître de nombreuses disparités et différences de traitement. Les Règles de Rotterdam s’inscrivent dans cette perspective en consacrant ce phénomène. Elles prennent en considération de nouveaux types de chargeurs tels que le chargeur documentaire afin de mieux s’adapter à la réalité de l’opération de transport. Les risques d’atteinte à l’environnement par des marchandises dangereuses sont aussi pris en compte. Mais contrairement à la responsabilité du transporteur, la responsabilité contractuelle et délictuelle du chargeur est illimitée. En attendant une ratification des Règles de Rotterdam, la liberté contractuelle constitue un moyen intéressant pour le chargeur de limiter sa responsabilité dans le respect des dispositions d’ordre public ou de ses obligations impératives. / Recent decades have seen an acceleration of world trade. Due to its low cost, maritime transport has contributed to this development. Indeed, nearly ninety percent of goods transported in the world are seaborne. The increase in trading volumes and vessel capacity have increased the risk of incidents and thereby the responsibility of all actors in maritime carriage of goods contracts. The responsibility of the shipper, which has long been restricted to a simple except case releasing the carrier’s liability, is now taking off. This new autonomy, built around general and special ratings, should be better organized. In this regard, the comparative study of Chinese and French experiences in the responsibility of the shipper reveals many disparities and differences in treatment. The Rotterdam Rules follow the recent trend by taking into account new types of shippers, such as the documentary shipper, in order to better adapt to the reality of transport operations. The risks to the environment due to hazardous goods are also taken into account. But unlike the carrier's liability, the shipper’s liability and tort are unlimited. Pending the Rotterdam Rules’ ratification, contractual freedom is an interesting way for the shipper to limit his liability and tort in the respect of safety law or imperative obligations. / 国际间交换近数十年来加速了，海上运输的低价格，助长了他的发展，的确现在几乎百分之九十的国际货物运输都靠海运。由于交换的批量和船的容量增加，使得事件的风险和海上运输合同的各方责任提高了。托运人的责任长期以来限制在一个例外, 让承运人的责任释放。托运人的责任浮现，他的存在是建立在普通制度和专门制度中，需要更好的理清。在此情况下，中法海商法经验的比较，在托运人的责任上显出许多的差距和不同的待遇。在透视中 «鹿特丹规则»呈现了此现象。他考虑到新的托运人的类型，譬如提单托运人为了更符合实际运输的实现，被危险货物造成环保损害的风险,也算在内。但是不比承运人的责任，托运人的合同责任和侵权责任是无限的。在等待«鹿特丹规则»的批准之下，自由合同是一个有意思的办法, 为了限制托运的责任，需要遵守治安法和托运人的必需义务。

Notre intention est d’effectuer une étude comparative du contrat de transport de marchandises en droit français et en droit chinois, principalement entre le droit positif français et le droit positif chinois en matière maritime, sans omettre les nombreuses interférences des Conventions internationales en vigueur dans ce domaine. Le contrat de transport maritime de marchandises est conclu entre le chargeur et le transporteur qui va assurer leur acheminement au moyen d’un navire sur un élément naturel non exempt de dangers, la mer, l’objet du contrat étant l’acte de transport. Ce contrat est généralement couvert par un type spécifique, le connaissement, mais il n’est pas un document unique. Parmi les spécificités du connaissement, la clause Paramount, la clause de compétence et la clause compromissoire insérées dans le document seront examinées car elles forment le socle juridique du transport maritime.L’exécution de ce contrat dépend des droits et des obligations de chaque partie que nous détaillerons. La mise du navire en état de navigabilité, l’accomplissement du voyage et la livraison sont à la charge du transporteur qui recevra en contrepartie le paiement du fret de la part du chargeur. Cependant les risques spécifiques de la navigation en mer génèrent certains problèmes qui recevront des réponses particulières. Ainsi par exemple, la responsabilité du transporteur pleine ou partielle, les cas exceptés, la limitation à l’indemnisation des dommages, etc. L’exécution de ce contrat entraîne parfois des litiges. Pour chaque affaire, il y a lieu de déterminer qui est la partie responsable du dommage subi par la marchandise. En fait, il n’est pas toujours simple de définir la responsabilité de chacun. Il est fait parfois appel à l’arbitrage international ou il sera parfois nécessaire d’avoir recours à la justice.Or s’agissant souvent de contentieux mettant en présence plusieurs entreprises (armateur, gestionnaire du navire, chargeur, transporteur, destinataire, assureur, banquier, etc.) relevant de divers États avec des systèmes juridiques différents, plusieurs questions complexes devront être résolues : les conditions de recevabilité de l’action, la compétence du tribunal, la loi applicable, etc.Parmi les particularités, nous observerons que la France a ratifié la Convention de Bruxelles, et les Protocoles modificatifs de 1968 et 1979, tandis que la Chine n’a ratifié aucun de ces textes. En droit international, la France applique le système moniste selon lequel les Conventions internationales ratifiées s’appliquent immédiatement en droit interne, alors que selon le dualisme, les Conventions n'acquièrent de force juridique qu'après avoir été transposées en droit interne. La Chine n’applique ni le système moniste, ni le système dualiste, tout en donnant à la Convention internationale une force supérieure à la loi interne, mais sous certaines conditions.Avec les moyens modernes de fabrication et de communication, la planète est devenue un village dont les membres échangent sans cesse des biens et des services. Dans cette évolution, le commerce international en général et le transport des marchandises par mer en particulier ont beaucoup progressé. L’étude comparative du contrat de transport maritime en France, pays de droit ancien du vieux continent, et en Chine, riche d’un passé culturel et d’une économie contemporaine florissante, nous est apparue intéressante et utile : outre sa participation aux échanges culturels entre ces deux pays, force est de constater que se poursuivent la mondialisation de l’économie et la progression concomitante des échanges internationaux de marchandises par mer. / The purpose of this dissertation is to carry out a comparative study of the contract for the carriage of goods by sea in French law and in Chinese law, principally between French positive maritime law and Chinese positive maritime law, taking into consideration as well the numerous influences which international Conventions currently in force bear on this issue.The contract for the carriage of goods by sea is concluded between a shipper and a carrier. The transportation of the goods by the carrier involves the navigation of a ship through water, a natural element which is not without danger; the act of the transportation of the goods therefore involves certain risks, and it is this act of transportation which is the object of the contract.This contract is generally modelled after the standard form of a Bill of Lading, though that is not the only document which is used. Among the specific elements of a Bill of Lading, the Paramount clause, the jurisdiction clause and the arbitration clause inserted in the document will each be examined, because they form the legal base of maritime transport.The execution of the contract, considering the rights and obligations of each of the parties, will be examined in detail. Assuring that the ship is in sound navigating condition, carrying out the voyage and accomplishing the delivery of the cargo are the responsibilities of the carrier, who in return will receive payment for these services from the shipper.However, the particular risks inherent in sea travel engender particular problems which will be specifically addressed – for example, the exact extent of responsibility of the carrier; the cases in which an exception might be made; amount limitations to the indemnities for damages, etc.The practical application of the contract to a specific situation will sometimes lead to disputes. In each case it needs to be determined which is the party that is responsible for the damage to the cargo. In fact, it is not always easy to define the responsibilities of each party. Sometimes appeal is made to international arbitration, and at other times it will be necessary to appeal in a court of law.Since the disputes often involve several separate enterprises (the ship owner, the ship manager, the shipper, the carrier, the recipient, insurance companies, bankers, etc.) coming from diverse countries with judicial systems which differ from one another, a number of complex legal issues must be resolved: the conditions of admissibility of the action, the jurisdiction of court, applicable law, etc.Among the particularities, we observe that France ratified the Brussels Convention and the modifying Protocols of 1968 and 1979, whereas China did not ratify any of these documents. In international law, France applies the monist system, according to which the ratified International Conventions are immediately applied in internal law, although according to dualism, the Conventions do not acquire legal force until after having been transposed into internal law. China applies neither the monist system nor the dualist system, while granting to the International Convention a superior authority over internal law, though only under certain conditions.With modern means of production and communication, the planet has become a global village whose members continually exchange goods and services. This development has led to significant growth in international commerce in general, and to significant growth in the transport of merchandise by sea in particular; hence the importance of this study.