Session D02: Multimodal Transport

 
Date: 11 May 2016
Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Venue: R1109, R Core (Shirley Chan Building), PolyU
 
 
Session Chair: Dr Khalid Bichou (Imperial College London)
 
This session consists of four studies that examine various issues related to multimodal transport and supply chain.
  • Economy impacts capture the spillover or other related multiplier effects from the benefits of the transportation and supply chain. The expansion of a transportation network as a result of multimodal connectivity better links supplies, inputs and final goods, thereby improving the efficiency of the global supply chain in production. The first study therefore uses the gravity model of bilateral trade to investigate the correlation between multimodal transport connectivity and trade in greater depth. It takes into account trade within the OBOR, and between OBOR economies and the rest of the world (up to 230 economies in total).

  • The trade business and cargo flow between Asia and Europe by rail are growing at a steady rate with increased number of operators, higher schedule frequencies and stronger state support. Vast volumes of auto parts, electronics, computer components, food, textiles and machinery equipment are transported through the Trans-Siberian and the new Eurasia land bridges, including the Yuxinou Railway and Chengdu-Europe Express Railway. With the Belt and Road initiative from China supporting and stimulating connections between Asia and Europe, a paradigm shift in the multimodal transportation of cargo will be observed. The second study explores the latest development of the third Eurasia land bridge, and evaluates the transit time between Duisburg and three cities in China, namely Hong Kong, Wuhan and Shanghai, for various modes of transportation.

  • The third study examines the historically privately controlled and vertically integrated shipping industry. The authors discuss how this individual/family controlled industry has changed into today’s specialised and networked based industry. The research questions of this study include: What kind of strategy can enable shipping firms to adapt and achieve continued success? With intermodal capability already advanced in the industry, what more can be done in the shipping industry for the next revolution?

  • Ensuring the robustness and stability of supply chains across the OBOR countries is a high priority. Businesses and governments alike should take steps towards protecting shared supply chains by reducing the exposure to hazards and the impacts of disruptions. The last study therefore identifies and categorises the various sources of risks and disruptions relevant to the OBOR countries and businesses and analyses their potential impacts on the capacity and resilience of the infrastructure systems. A high-level modelling and case exercise will be used to illustrate the operational and policy dimensions of supply chain disruptions on infrastructure resilience in the OBOR countries.
Title Author(s)
The economic impact of enhanced multimodal connectivity under the “One Belt and One Road” initiative Shu-Man Chang (Chang Jung Christian University), Yo-Yi Huang and Kuo-Chung Shang (National Taiwan Ocean University)
Paradigm shift of multimodal transportation under the development of Eurasia land bridges Eugene Y.C. Wong and Emma W.T. Zhou (Hang Seng Management College)
Implementing strategic ambidexterity in the container shipping industry Mary Han (Ryerson University), K.H. Lai and Y.H. Venus Lun (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
Sources and impacts of supply chain disruptions on infrastructure resilience in the OBOR countries Khalid Bichou (Imperial College London)
 
 
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