Management of
Transportation
Seventh Edition
Coyle, Novack, Gibson &
Bardi
© 2011 Cengage Learning
Chapter 8
The Bulk Carrier
Industries
1© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Introduction
• Domestic water and pipeline carriers
– Both account for substantial shares of intercity
freight volume
• For some commodities, one or both are the dominant
modes
– Most freight carried tends to be high volume, low
value, and of limited variety
• Chapter includes
– Types of carriers, market structure, competition
– Operating and service characteristics, equipment
and cost structure
– Current issues
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
2
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
3
Brief History: Water Transport
• First principal form of long distance freight
and people transport
• Important contributor to early U.S. economic
and social development
– Linked initial population/industrial concentrations
along coast and rivers
• Waterways are natural ways
– Public expenditure for improvements occasionally
necessary
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
4
Water Transport Industry Overview
Significance of Water Transport
• A primary transporter of
– dry bulk commodities
– bulk petroleum, petroleum products and chemicals
• 13% of intercity freight ton-miles in 2005
• Market share decline since 1980s due to
– Economy changing from manufacturing to service-
based
– Supply chain orientation emphasizes faster modes
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
5
Water Transport Industry Overview
Types of Carriers
• Classification by legal form of carriage
– Private carriers
• Own the freight transported
• Own or lease the vessels
• May transport exempt commodities on a for-hire
basis
• Excluded from federal economic regulation
• Three or fewer commodities transported in the
same barge unit also exempt from economic
regulation
Water Transport Industry Overview
Types of Carriers
– For-hire water carriers are carriers that charge a fee
for services. Includes
• Exempt carriers
– Excluded from federal econ. regulation adm. by STB
– Carriers are exempt when transporting dry or liquid bulk
commodities
– Most goods transported by water are bulk commodities, thus
most for-hire carriers are exempt from economic regulations
• Regulated common carriers
– Common carriers
– Contract carriers
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
6
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
7
Water Transport Industry Overview
Types of Carriers
• Classification by waterway used
– Internal or inland carriers
• Operate barges and towboats on principal U.S. rivers
• Most found on river systems flowing north to south
through central U.S.
– Great Lakes carriers
• Provide services between ports on Great Lakes
• Lake ships tend to remain on lakes
• Some lake ships access Atlantic and Gulf coast ports
via St. Lawrence Seaway
Water Transport Industry Overview
Types of Carriers
– Coastal carriers
• Operate ocean-going ships and barges along
Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts
• Moves large quantities of crude oil from Alaska
ports to refineries along Pacific Coast
– Intercoastal carriers
• Operate ocean going ships and barges between
coasts
• Moves large quantities of oil from Gulf to Atlantic
ports
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
8
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
9
Water Transport Industry Overview
Number and Categories of Carriers
• Relatively small number of small firms
– Approx. 680 domestic for-hire carriers in 2006
• Number of carriers rapidly declining since 2000
• Inland carriers earn highest share of revenues
– Inland carrier revenues flat over last decade
– Coastal carriers earn next highest share
– Great Lakes carrier revenues are growing due to
increase in higher valued freight
Water Transport Industry Overview
Competition
• Moderate intramodal competition
– Small number of carriers on each waterway system
• Intense intermodal competition
– With rail for dry bulk commodities (grain, ores, coal)
• Competition focused around central U.S. river system and
the Great Lakes
– With pipelines for oil and petroleum products
• Competition focused along coasts and Mississippi River
system
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
10
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
11
Water Transport Industry Overview
Operating and Service Characteristics
• Principal competitive advantages
– Low cost transport service for large volumes over
medium to long distances
• Average cost = $.72 per ton-mile
• Average shipment distances
– 400 miles for inland carriers
– 1,500 miles for coastal carriers
– Relatively large carrying capacity
• Barges: 1,500-3,000 tons per barge (50-100 truckloads)
• Lake vessels: 20,000 tons
– Fuel efficient
Water Transport Industry Overview
Operating and Service Characteristics
• Principal competitive disadvantages
– Speed of service
• Slowest mode for dry cargoes
– Weather-related service disruptions
• Vulnerable to ice, flood, and drought conditions
– Accessibility limitations
– Packaging requirements for high-value goods
• Service disadvantages may add cost for user and
create tradeoffs with low rate advantage
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
12
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
13
Water Transport Industry Overview
Operating and Service Characteristics
• Commodities hauled
– Water carriers well suited for low value-to-
weight cargoes where transport rates are
significant part of total delivered cost
– Distribution of waterborne traffic (2007)
• Coal and coke 29.3%
• Petroleum 26.5%
• Crude materials 17.6%
• Food and farm products 12.5%
• Chemicals 8.2%
• Mfg. goods and equipment 5.7%
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
14
Water Transport Industry Overview
Equipment
• Vessels
– Have large openings into cargo holds to
facilitate cargo loading and unloading
– Watertight walls divide holds enabling carrying
of multiple types of commodities
– Largest vessel: tanker 18K – 500K ton capacity
• Used largely to transport petroleum
– Barges – powerless vessel towed by towboat
• Used largely on inland waterways
• Low marginal cost to add barge to a tow
•
Water Transport Industry Overview
Terminals
• Functions
– Facilitate intermodal transfers
– Provide temporary storage in port area
• Require significant capital investment
– Facilities include ship loading/unloading equipment,
land for storage, road and rail access
– Most are publicly provided and operated
– Some are owned by large bulk commodity shippers
• Recent improvements focus on mechanization
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
15
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
16
Water Transport Industry Overview
Cost Structure
• Relatively high variable, low fixed costs
– Fixed costs: about 15% of total operating costs
• Nature provides ways
• Governments provide for improvements to rivers,
canals, channels, locks, dams, terminals and ports
– Variable costs: about 85% of total
• Water transport is not labor intensive
– In 1997, 2.72 million ton-miles per water carrier employee
(note – rail and pipelines are even less labor intensive)
• Carriers pay user charges for portion of publicly
provided improvements
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
17
Water Transport Industry Overview
Current Issues
• Drug and alcohol abuse
– Random and pre-certification testing
• Port development challenges
– Economic vs. environmental tradeoffs
– Appropriation of port revenues
– Inter-port competition
– Impact of “mega-ship” emergence
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
18
Brief History of Pipelines
(Focus on Oil Pipelines)
• Highly specialized mode, hauling small
variety of products
• Initial role, late 1800’s – move crude oil
from wells to other modes
• Early 1900s – pipelines owned, operated
by large oil companies
• After WWII – Chaplin Oil Case:
pipelines ordered to operate as common
carriers
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
19
Pipelines Industry Overview
Significance of Pipelines
• Carry 20% of intercity ton-miles (2005)
– Crude oil and petroleum products represent
66% of ton-miles, natural gas 33%
• Earn 4% of total intercity transportation
revenues
– Reflects efficiency of pipeline transport and
low value per ton of products transported
• About 160,000 miles in oil pipeline network
– 1,478,000 in natural gas pipeline network
© 2011Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or
duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
20
© 2011Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or
duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
21
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
22
Pipelines Industry Overview
Types of Carriers and Ownership
• 90% of carriers operate as common carriers
• Individual, vertically integrated oil companies
own and operate most oil pipelines
• Some lines are joint ventures of two or more
oil pipeline companies
• Other types of ownership
– Railroads
– Independent oil companies
– Other types of industrial companies
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
23
Pipelines Industry Overview
Number of Carriers (Market Structure)
• Small number of large carriers: 2,297 (2006)
• Industry tends toward oligopoly
– 20 integrated oil companies control 66% of crude oil
mileage
– Entry costs are high: capital intensity, obtaining
rights-of-way
– Significant economies of scale in investment and
operation
• Capacity rises more than proportionally with increase in
line diameter. Thus, investment cost per ton-mile and
operating cost per barrel both decline as size increases.
Pipeline Operating and Service
Characteristics
• Commodities carried – 4 principal products
– Oil and oil products
– Natural gas
– Coal and coal products
• Moves in pulverized form as slurry
• Requires large quantities of water – very few such lines
– Chemicals
• Primarily anhydrous ammonia (used in fertilizer)
• Propylene (used to manufacturer detergents)
• Ethylene (used to make antifreeze)
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
24
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
25
Pipeline Operating and Service
Characteristics
• Relative advantages
– Low rates
– Low loss and damage rates
– Warehousing function (3-5 mph)
– High delivery dependability
• Relative disadvantages
– Slow speed limits responsiveness
– Limited geographic flexibility
– Limited variety of products carried
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
26
Pipeline Competitive Conditions
• Very little intramodal competition
– Small number of carriers
– High capital costs and scale economies
– Procedural requirements for entry
– Ownership by large oil companies
• Limited intermodal competition
– Difficult for other modes to match rates
– Water carriers are principal competitors
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
27
Pipeline Equipment
Oil Pipeline Network
• Includes system of
– Gathering lines and stations
– Crude oil and product trunk lines
– Pumping stations, refineries, and terminals
• Gathering lines
– Move oil from wells to gathering stations
– Relatively short distance movement
– Small diameter, laid on ground surface
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
28
Pipeline Equipment
Oil Pipeline Network
• Crude oil trunk lines
– Move crude oil from gathering stations to
refineries
– Long distance movement
• Shipments average 800 miles, may move
1,000s of miles
– Large diameter lines laid underground
– Pumping stations provide power
– Capacity determined by line diameter and
pumping station power
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
29
Pipeline Equipment
Oil Pipeline Network
• Finished product trunk lines
– Move product from refineries to market area
terminals
– Long distance movement
• Shipments average 400 miles, may move 1,000s of
miles
– Large diameter lines laid underground
– 15 grades of finished product, including
kerosene, jet fuel and gasoline
– Final delivery to customer usually by truck
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
30
Pipeline Cost Structure
• High % of fixed costs
– Pipeline owners provide right-of-way
– Capital invested in
• Rights-of-way, pumping stations, terminal facilities
– Significant economies of scale
• Helps explain joint ownership
• Very low labor costs
– Pipeline industry employs 8,000
– Motor carriers employ 10 million to move
comparable ton-miles
Pipeline Cost Structure
• Rates
– Freight classification is not necessary due to
small number of products
– Conditions are not conducive to differential
pricing
• One-way movement, limited geographic coverage,
limited variety of products
– Rates quoted on a per barrel basis
• Typically point-to-point or zone-to-zone
• Minimum shipment sizes (tenders) required
© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied
or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
31

More Related Content

PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (7)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (2)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (5)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (10)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (6)
PPTX
Chapter1
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (1)
PPTX
Waterborne transport
Transport Management & Theory Practices (7)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (2)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (5)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (10)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (6)
Chapter1
Transport Management & Theory Practices (1)
Waterborne transport

What's hot (19)

PPTX
Water transportation
PPTX
Modes of transportation - Pipelines
PPTX
Transport water
PDF
Transportation Management
PPTX
Public Transport
PPT
Different types of vessels in world merchant fleet
PPTX
Transportation and its effect on environment
PDF
The Cause, Effect and Possible Solution to Traffic Congestion on Nigeria Road...
PPTX
Port organization & management
PDF
PPTX
Port cluster of economy
PDF
Climate Change: Implications for Transport
PPT
Public Transport and Sustainable Development
PPTX
Traffic signal 32&35:DCE:FET:IIUI
PDF
What is Risk and Vulnerability.pdf
PDF
Introduction to Urban Transportation Planning and History
PPT
Transport engineering copy
Water transportation
Modes of transportation - Pipelines
Transport water
Transportation Management
Public Transport
Different types of vessels in world merchant fleet
Transportation and its effect on environment
The Cause, Effect and Possible Solution to Traffic Congestion on Nigeria Road...
Port organization & management
Port cluster of economy
Climate Change: Implications for Transport
Public Transport and Sustainable Development
Traffic signal 32&35:DCE:FET:IIUI
What is Risk and Vulnerability.pdf
Introduction to Urban Transportation Planning and History
Transport engineering copy
Ad

Viewers also liked (9)

PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (10)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (12)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (13)
PPTX
Understanding Abu Dhabi Street Map
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (5)
PPT
Transport Management & Theory Practices (14)
PPTX
Transportation Management
PPT
Transportation management
PPTX
Transportation ppt of suppy chain management
Transport Management & Theory Practices (10)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (12)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (13)
Understanding Abu Dhabi Street Map
Transport Management & Theory Practices (5)
Transport Management & Theory Practices (14)
Transportation Management
Transportation management
Transportation ppt of suppy chain management
Ad

Similar to Transport Management & Theory Practices (8) (20)

PPTX
Case Study And IntroCase Study And Intro
PPTX
Transportation in supply chain
PDF
transportationinsupplychainfinalppt-190322181336.pdf
PPTX
transportationinsupplychainfinalppt-190322181336.pptx
PPTX
Modes of Transportation - Supply chain perspective
PPT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
PPT
Introductory presentation & SSS Past,Present,Future (pics updated)
PPTX
Transportation
PPTX
Final Review Logistics and Transportation.pptx
PDF
Boat Transportation to Marine Logistics, Freight, and Future Trends.pdf
PPTX
logistics by waterways
PPTX
Shipping industry in India
PPTX
Sea transportation.pptx
PPT
CHAPTER - 1. INTRODUCTION to harbour Engineering
PPT
Coyle Chapter 10Coyle Chapter 10Coyle Ch
PPT
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
PPTX
9780357132302_Langley11e_ch11_LEAP-N.pptx
PDF
Transportation: A Global Supply Chain Perspective 9th Edition – Ebook PDF Ver...
PDF
Transportation: A Global Supply Chain Perspective 9th Edition – Ebook PDF Ver...
PDF
Peculiarities of transportation by the Mississippi river
Case Study And IntroCase Study And Intro
Transportation in supply chain
transportationinsupplychainfinalppt-190322181336.pdf
transportationinsupplychainfinalppt-190322181336.pptx
Modes of Transportation - Supply chain perspective
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Introductory presentation & SSS Past,Present,Future (pics updated)
Transportation
Final Review Logistics and Transportation.pptx
Boat Transportation to Marine Logistics, Freight, and Future Trends.pdf
logistics by waterways
Shipping industry in India
Sea transportation.pptx
CHAPTER - 1. INTRODUCTION to harbour Engineering
Coyle Chapter 10Coyle Chapter 10Coyle Ch
FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
9780357132302_Langley11e_ch11_LEAP-N.pptx
Transportation: A Global Supply Chain Perspective 9th Edition – Ebook PDF Ver...
Transportation: A Global Supply Chain Perspective 9th Edition – Ebook PDF Ver...
Peculiarities of transportation by the Mississippi river

Recently uploaded (20)

PDF
533158074-Saudi-Arabia-Companies-List-Contact.pdf
PDF
Environmental Law Communication: Strategies for Advocacy (www.kiu.ac.ug)
PPTX
Slide gioi thieu VietinBank Quy 2 - 2025
PDF
Booking.com The Global AI Sentiment Report 2025
PPTX
2 - Self & Personality 587689213yiuedhwejbmansbeakjrk
PDF
Keppel_Proposed Divestment of M1 Limited
PDF
PMB 401-Identification-of-Potential-Biotechnological-Products.pdf
PPTX
TRAINNING, DEVELOPMENT AND APPRAISAL.pptx
PDF
1911 Gold Corporate Presentation Aug 2025.pdf
PDF
Charisse Litchman: A Maverick Making Neurological Care More Accessible
PPTX
Slide gioi thieu VietinBank Quy 2 - 2025
PDF
Chapter 2 - AI chatbots and prompt engineering.pdf
PPT
Lecture 3344;;,,(,(((((((((((((((((((((((
DOCX
FINALS-BSHhchcuvivicucucucucM-Centro.docx
PDF
Ron Thomas - Top Influential Business Leaders Shaping the Modern Industry – 2025
PPTX
Board-Reporting-Package-by-Umbrex-5-23-23.pptx
PPTX
Astra-Investor- business Presentation (1).pptx
PDF
Family Law: The Role of Communication in Mediation (www.kiu.ac.ug)
PDF
Introduction to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
PDF
NISM Series V-A MFD Workbook v December 2024.khhhjtgvwevoypdnew one must use ...
533158074-Saudi-Arabia-Companies-List-Contact.pdf
Environmental Law Communication: Strategies for Advocacy (www.kiu.ac.ug)
Slide gioi thieu VietinBank Quy 2 - 2025
Booking.com The Global AI Sentiment Report 2025
2 - Self & Personality 587689213yiuedhwejbmansbeakjrk
Keppel_Proposed Divestment of M1 Limited
PMB 401-Identification-of-Potential-Biotechnological-Products.pdf
TRAINNING, DEVELOPMENT AND APPRAISAL.pptx
1911 Gold Corporate Presentation Aug 2025.pdf
Charisse Litchman: A Maverick Making Neurological Care More Accessible
Slide gioi thieu VietinBank Quy 2 - 2025
Chapter 2 - AI chatbots and prompt engineering.pdf
Lecture 3344;;,,(,(((((((((((((((((((((((
FINALS-BSHhchcuvivicucucucucM-Centro.docx
Ron Thomas - Top Influential Business Leaders Shaping the Modern Industry – 2025
Board-Reporting-Package-by-Umbrex-5-23-23.pptx
Astra-Investor- business Presentation (1).pptx
Family Law: The Role of Communication in Mediation (www.kiu.ac.ug)
Introduction to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
NISM Series V-A MFD Workbook v December 2024.khhhjtgvwevoypdnew one must use ...

Transport Management & Theory Practices (8)

  • 1. Management of Transportation Seventh Edition Coyle, Novack, Gibson & Bardi © 2011 Cengage Learning Chapter 8 The Bulk Carrier Industries 1© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
  • 2. Introduction • Domestic water and pipeline carriers – Both account for substantial shares of intercity freight volume • For some commodities, one or both are the dominant modes – Most freight carried tends to be high volume, low value, and of limited variety • Chapter includes – Types of carriers, market structure, competition – Operating and service characteristics, equipment and cost structure – Current issues © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 2
  • 3. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 3 Brief History: Water Transport • First principal form of long distance freight and people transport • Important contributor to early U.S. economic and social development – Linked initial population/industrial concentrations along coast and rivers • Waterways are natural ways – Public expenditure for improvements occasionally necessary
  • 4. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 4 Water Transport Industry Overview Significance of Water Transport • A primary transporter of – dry bulk commodities – bulk petroleum, petroleum products and chemicals • 13% of intercity freight ton-miles in 2005 • Market share decline since 1980s due to – Economy changing from manufacturing to service- based – Supply chain orientation emphasizes faster modes
  • 5. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 5 Water Transport Industry Overview Types of Carriers • Classification by legal form of carriage – Private carriers • Own the freight transported • Own or lease the vessels • May transport exempt commodities on a for-hire basis • Excluded from federal economic regulation • Three or fewer commodities transported in the same barge unit also exempt from economic regulation
  • 6. Water Transport Industry Overview Types of Carriers – For-hire water carriers are carriers that charge a fee for services. Includes • Exempt carriers – Excluded from federal econ. regulation adm. by STB – Carriers are exempt when transporting dry or liquid bulk commodities – Most goods transported by water are bulk commodities, thus most for-hire carriers are exempt from economic regulations • Regulated common carriers – Common carriers – Contract carriers © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 6
  • 7. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 7 Water Transport Industry Overview Types of Carriers • Classification by waterway used – Internal or inland carriers • Operate barges and towboats on principal U.S. rivers • Most found on river systems flowing north to south through central U.S. – Great Lakes carriers • Provide services between ports on Great Lakes • Lake ships tend to remain on lakes • Some lake ships access Atlantic and Gulf coast ports via St. Lawrence Seaway
  • 8. Water Transport Industry Overview Types of Carriers – Coastal carriers • Operate ocean-going ships and barges along Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts • Moves large quantities of crude oil from Alaska ports to refineries along Pacific Coast – Intercoastal carriers • Operate ocean going ships and barges between coasts • Moves large quantities of oil from Gulf to Atlantic ports © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 8
  • 9. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 9 Water Transport Industry Overview Number and Categories of Carriers • Relatively small number of small firms – Approx. 680 domestic for-hire carriers in 2006 • Number of carriers rapidly declining since 2000 • Inland carriers earn highest share of revenues – Inland carrier revenues flat over last decade – Coastal carriers earn next highest share – Great Lakes carrier revenues are growing due to increase in higher valued freight
  • 10. Water Transport Industry Overview Competition • Moderate intramodal competition – Small number of carriers on each waterway system • Intense intermodal competition – With rail for dry bulk commodities (grain, ores, coal) • Competition focused around central U.S. river system and the Great Lakes – With pipelines for oil and petroleum products • Competition focused along coasts and Mississippi River system © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 10
  • 11. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 11 Water Transport Industry Overview Operating and Service Characteristics • Principal competitive advantages – Low cost transport service for large volumes over medium to long distances • Average cost = $.72 per ton-mile • Average shipment distances – 400 miles for inland carriers – 1,500 miles for coastal carriers – Relatively large carrying capacity • Barges: 1,500-3,000 tons per barge (50-100 truckloads) • Lake vessels: 20,000 tons – Fuel efficient
  • 12. Water Transport Industry Overview Operating and Service Characteristics • Principal competitive disadvantages – Speed of service • Slowest mode for dry cargoes – Weather-related service disruptions • Vulnerable to ice, flood, and drought conditions – Accessibility limitations – Packaging requirements for high-value goods • Service disadvantages may add cost for user and create tradeoffs with low rate advantage © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 12
  • 13. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 13 Water Transport Industry Overview Operating and Service Characteristics • Commodities hauled – Water carriers well suited for low value-to- weight cargoes where transport rates are significant part of total delivered cost – Distribution of waterborne traffic (2007) • Coal and coke 29.3% • Petroleum 26.5% • Crude materials 17.6% • Food and farm products 12.5% • Chemicals 8.2% • Mfg. goods and equipment 5.7%
  • 14. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 14 Water Transport Industry Overview Equipment • Vessels – Have large openings into cargo holds to facilitate cargo loading and unloading – Watertight walls divide holds enabling carrying of multiple types of commodities – Largest vessel: tanker 18K – 500K ton capacity • Used largely to transport petroleum – Barges – powerless vessel towed by towboat • Used largely on inland waterways • Low marginal cost to add barge to a tow •
  • 15. Water Transport Industry Overview Terminals • Functions – Facilitate intermodal transfers – Provide temporary storage in port area • Require significant capital investment – Facilities include ship loading/unloading equipment, land for storage, road and rail access – Most are publicly provided and operated – Some are owned by large bulk commodity shippers • Recent improvements focus on mechanization © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 15
  • 16. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 16 Water Transport Industry Overview Cost Structure • Relatively high variable, low fixed costs – Fixed costs: about 15% of total operating costs • Nature provides ways • Governments provide for improvements to rivers, canals, channels, locks, dams, terminals and ports – Variable costs: about 85% of total • Water transport is not labor intensive – In 1997, 2.72 million ton-miles per water carrier employee (note – rail and pipelines are even less labor intensive) • Carriers pay user charges for portion of publicly provided improvements
  • 17. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 17 Water Transport Industry Overview Current Issues • Drug and alcohol abuse – Random and pre-certification testing • Port development challenges – Economic vs. environmental tradeoffs – Appropriation of port revenues – Inter-port competition – Impact of “mega-ship” emergence
  • 18. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 18 Brief History of Pipelines (Focus on Oil Pipelines) • Highly specialized mode, hauling small variety of products • Initial role, late 1800’s – move crude oil from wells to other modes • Early 1900s – pipelines owned, operated by large oil companies • After WWII – Chaplin Oil Case: pipelines ordered to operate as common carriers
  • 19. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 19 Pipelines Industry Overview Significance of Pipelines • Carry 20% of intercity ton-miles (2005) – Crude oil and petroleum products represent 66% of ton-miles, natural gas 33% • Earn 4% of total intercity transportation revenues – Reflects efficiency of pipeline transport and low value per ton of products transported • About 160,000 miles in oil pipeline network – 1,478,000 in natural gas pipeline network
  • 20. © 2011Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 20
  • 21. © 2011Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 21
  • 22. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 22 Pipelines Industry Overview Types of Carriers and Ownership • 90% of carriers operate as common carriers • Individual, vertically integrated oil companies own and operate most oil pipelines • Some lines are joint ventures of two or more oil pipeline companies • Other types of ownership – Railroads – Independent oil companies – Other types of industrial companies
  • 23. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 23 Pipelines Industry Overview Number of Carriers (Market Structure) • Small number of large carriers: 2,297 (2006) • Industry tends toward oligopoly – 20 integrated oil companies control 66% of crude oil mileage – Entry costs are high: capital intensity, obtaining rights-of-way – Significant economies of scale in investment and operation • Capacity rises more than proportionally with increase in line diameter. Thus, investment cost per ton-mile and operating cost per barrel both decline as size increases.
  • 24. Pipeline Operating and Service Characteristics • Commodities carried – 4 principal products – Oil and oil products – Natural gas – Coal and coal products • Moves in pulverized form as slurry • Requires large quantities of water – very few such lines – Chemicals • Primarily anhydrous ammonia (used in fertilizer) • Propylene (used to manufacturer detergents) • Ethylene (used to make antifreeze) © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 24
  • 25. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 25 Pipeline Operating and Service Characteristics • Relative advantages – Low rates – Low loss and damage rates – Warehousing function (3-5 mph) – High delivery dependability • Relative disadvantages – Slow speed limits responsiveness – Limited geographic flexibility – Limited variety of products carried
  • 26. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 26 Pipeline Competitive Conditions • Very little intramodal competition – Small number of carriers – High capital costs and scale economies – Procedural requirements for entry – Ownership by large oil companies • Limited intermodal competition – Difficult for other modes to match rates – Water carriers are principal competitors
  • 27. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 27 Pipeline Equipment Oil Pipeline Network • Includes system of – Gathering lines and stations – Crude oil and product trunk lines – Pumping stations, refineries, and terminals • Gathering lines – Move oil from wells to gathering stations – Relatively short distance movement – Small diameter, laid on ground surface
  • 28. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 28 Pipeline Equipment Oil Pipeline Network • Crude oil trunk lines – Move crude oil from gathering stations to refineries – Long distance movement • Shipments average 800 miles, may move 1,000s of miles – Large diameter lines laid underground – Pumping stations provide power – Capacity determined by line diameter and pumping station power
  • 29. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 29 Pipeline Equipment Oil Pipeline Network • Finished product trunk lines – Move product from refineries to market area terminals – Long distance movement • Shipments average 400 miles, may move 1,000s of miles – Large diameter lines laid underground – 15 grades of finished product, including kerosene, jet fuel and gasoline – Final delivery to customer usually by truck
  • 30. © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 30 Pipeline Cost Structure • High % of fixed costs – Pipeline owners provide right-of-way – Capital invested in • Rights-of-way, pumping stations, terminal facilities – Significant economies of scale • Helps explain joint ownership • Very low labor costs – Pipeline industry employs 8,000 – Motor carriers employ 10 million to move comparable ton-miles
  • 31. Pipeline Cost Structure • Rates – Freight classification is not necessary due to small number of products – Conditions are not conducive to differential pricing • One-way movement, limited geographic coverage, limited variety of products – Rates quoted on a per barrel basis • Typically point-to-point or zone-to-zone • Minimum shipment sizes (tenders) required © 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 31