Integrating seaports as logistics hubs in freight transport modelling

Abstract

The paper proposes an approach to better integrate logistics hubs into freight transport modelling. We will do this for the particular case of seaports and concentrate in the empirical section on German ports. In current freight transport models seaports are handled as ‘singular transport generators’. The freight traffic flow for seaports is directly inserted into the models and is not generated by the implementation of attributes or indicators. There are only a few approaches of integrating logistics in freight transport models. They are using the supply chain or supply chain elements for the integration of logistics. None of the models analysed integrate logistics hubs in freight transport models. We will show how to differentiate logistics hubs, which data on logistics hubs especially on seaports are available and which data are needed. We will develop a new approach of integration of seaports as logistics hub in freight transport models by using key ratios. For this we will take a look at different parts and terminals of seaports.