Instructions
Please read in full.
Introduction
An absolutely key principle of effective global intermodal freight is that of high standardisation. Current container standards are virtually unchanged since the origins of the concept in the 1950s. There have been intermittent suggestions about changing container standards over the years and the issue of changing global standards has been on the agenda for over 20 years – see Banks (1992) for example.
In more recent years there have been other attempts to introduce different standards, for example:
The EU proposal for a European Intermodal Loading Unit (EILU) – see EU (2007)Ÿ
The commercial decision by APL to experiment with 53ft containers on its Los Angeles-South China service – see APL (2007)Ÿ
Neither initiative was successful, perhaps leading to the inference that changing intermodal unit sizes will never happen.
Your task is:
To review the two initiatives described in the introduction, explaining the advantages which it was envisaged would result from theml
To analyse the reasons why each was unsuccessfull
Briefly address the key underlying question:
Is a single, global intermodal unit standard desirable and/or achievable, or is the industry always likely to have a variety of standards to suit different markets?l
Your work should be presented in academic report format. This should have a concise introduction, present your facts in a logically structured way, incorporate an analysis/discussion section where you consider the points you have put forward, and present your conclusions. It should be fully Harvard referenced using the appropriate conventions
Marks will be awarded for:
Factual content·
Analysis·
Conclusions·
Referencing·
Presentation·
Preferably online sources
Essay
Please read in full.
Introduction
An absolutely key principle of effective global intermodal freight is that of high standardisation. Current container standards are virtually unchanged since the origins of the concept in the 1950s. There have been intermittent suggestions about changing container standards over the years and the issue of changing global standards has been on the agenda for over 20 years – see Banks (1992) for example.
In more recent years there have been other attempts to introduce different standards, for example:
The EU proposal for a European Intermodal Loading Unit (EILU) – see EU (2007)Ÿ
The commercial decision by APL to experiment with 53ft containers on its Los Angeles-South China service – see APL (2007)Ÿ
Neither initiative was successful, perhaps leading to the inference that changing intermodal unit sizes will never happen.
Your task is:
To review the two initiatives described in the introduction, explaining the advantages which it was envisaged would result from theml
To analyse the reasons why each was unsuccessfull
Briefly address the key underlying question:
Is a single, global intermodal unit standard desirable and/or achievable, or is the industry always likely to have a variety of standards to suit different markets?l
Your work should be presented in academic report format. This should have a concise introduction, present your facts in a logically structured way, incorporate an analysis/discussion section where you consider the points you have put forward, and present your conclusions. It should be fully Harvard referenced using the appropriate conventions
Marks will be awarded for:
Factual content·
Analysis·
Conclusions·
Referencing·
Presentation·
Preferably online sources
