An economic evaluation of investment to improve the efficiency of the export grain intermodal transfer system : port of Houston
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Date
1981
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Abstract
Continued expansion of U.S. agricultural exports appears likely as most public and private sector predictions indicate increased foreign demand well into the next decade. The ability to maintain existing export levels and accommodate suggested increased levels is extremely dependent on the performance of the transportation system required to transport grain from the hinterlands to various ports. The performance of this transportation system is dependent on coordination between domestic transportation, domestic grain handling and storage facilities, and the ocean-going vessels scheduled to load the foreign destined cargo at port elevators. The cost associated with moving grain through the existing system may be used as a measure of the performance of the system. In this existing system, a major portion of the per bushel cost is related to waiting time incurred by inbound delivery and outbound carriers as they are processed by the port elevators. Analysis of this intermodal transfer system to determine areas for potential changes designed to reduce waiting time and economic evaluation of the feasibility of recommended investment would provide vital information necessary to determine the potential for improvement in the efficiency of the intermodal process. The purpose of this study was to perform such an analysis of the intermodal transfer process for grain and soybeans exported through port elevators located in Houston, Texas. The economic analysis of investments designed to reduce congestion in the intermodal transfer process began with an extensive documentation of the characteristics of the system in service for Houston. A computer based simulation model designed to represent the documented system was then constructed. Results from the simulation model were used to estimate current system performance as measured by the average variable cost per bushel for grain exported through Houston port elevators. This cost included elevator variable cost and carrier waiting cost. The results from the simulation model were used further to suggest areas for potential congestion reducing investments. ...
Description
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-149)
Keywords
Agricultural Economics