Manuchehr KIA - Industrial Research Institute Swinburne University of Tecnology Melbourne, Australia Pursuing his PhD
Ebrahim SHAYAN - Industrial Research Institute University of Technology Melbourne, Australia received his PhD Degree from George Washington University, USA

Container ports in developed regions of the world are being subject to intense competition and port authorities and terminal operators are being forced on avenues for increasing productivity of existing infrastructure, while cutting costs by accommodating larger ships (eg Panamax and post Panamax). In the 1990s, dramatic developments had taken place in regard to size, layout, and equipment of ships, as well as introduction of new specialised types of ships, the most important of which are cellular containerships. The introduction of large ships and the large volume of containers handled in a compressed time frame could place immense pressures on the port of Bandar Abbas management capabilities and transport network. The implementation of port facilities for large containerships also requires high standards of transport access to, from and within the port area to transfer freight in and out of the port. In this paper the authors intend to investigate what fundamental changes in the port of Bandar Abbas and its loading and unloading techniques can be anticipated. Due to changes in ship technology, ship management and handling technology, to what extent and how the Iranian port’s configuration should be addressed. And the last, if large ships in the Iranian port are to be accommodated, can the existing land transport network cope with the impact and if it is not, what should and can be done?

Large size containerships, ship-to-rail direct loading and distribution centres