Write a report for the following case study
The shipping company you work for, trades mainly between North West European and Mediterranean Ports (Felixstowe, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Algeciras, Marseille, Livorno, Piraeus) to North and Central American Ports (Montreal, New Jersey, Charleston, Miami, Puerto Limon, Cristobal, Balboa, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver) in the Panamax container market. Your board is interested in increasing the size of their vessels from Panamax to Neopanamax (can these ports accept neopanamax size?) 1and larger, thereby increasing the profit margin on voyages. The work of the marine operations department ashore will be central to the safe and expedient execution of this change.
Your company’s Board of Directors is calling for a report on the initial feasibility of moving from Panamax to Neopanamax and larger size vessels. You as leader of the operations department will have to:
Investigate the implications in changing to the new class(es) of vessels.Research where such vessels can trade if different from the current trading pattern, which routes and ports would be the most economical, considering:1. The optimum size of vessels (and TEU)2. The best routes (including a graphical representation of the routes), including the NW Passage above Canada.3. Land bridging across North America.4. Navigationally feasible, including suggested ports (if different from those already visited)5. Suitability of canal transits (Great Lakes, Cape Cod, Panama etc.)6. Suitable port infrastructure, including berth availability, availability of fuel, victualing, spare gear, repairs, dry-docks etc.7. Navigation Restrictions including channel and berth depth of water, tidal or current flows, draft, air draft and weather etc.8. Ballast water, sewerage and garbage disposal.9. Environment impact.
Research the size of Neopanamax (or larger) type of vessel to be used? Discuss commercial implications, security issues/risks that the operations team is likely to have to deal with (or prepare for) as this service is planned and executed and propose ways in which these issues and risks might be mitigated or resolved.