Ro-ro vežimų tyrimai Baltijos jūroje

Currently Port of Klaipėda has been interlinked by ro-ro transit lines with Germany, Sweden and Denmark. It has been sought not only for improvement but also for development and expansion of the ro-ro market in order to answer continuously growing needs of clients. Lithuanian ro-ro liner shippers and operators although confronted by severe competition in ro-ro shipping market, strive to retain their position, conquer and manage new ro-ro markets. Yet it is to be mentioned that close cooperation with other transport industries and ro-ro terminals is not always attainable what consequently enhance the impact of factors affecting ro-ro transport and lessen attractiveness of such transportation, reduce cargo flow in general. Relevance of the problem. Considerable part of ro-ro lines are forced to close down soon after they are opened as having no prospects for they fail to attract sufficient freight and cargo flow due to multiple reasons like inadequate assessment and underestimation of advantages, shortcomings and risks (threats) and overestimated possibilities, insufficient research into cargo flow, inconsideration or failed acknowledgement of factors affecting ro-ro transportation. Therefore the relevance of the issue involved in this dissertation reveals not only for developing of new ro-ro shipping lines, but also for restructuring of existing lines and restoring of former ro-ro lines, it applies also in view of intended increase in competitiveness of ro-ro freightage against other cargo transports. The purpose of the Dissertation is theoretical investigation of the principles of ro-ro transport and assessment of factors affecting ro-ro market, and possibilities for appropriate development and optimiza-tion of ro-ro, and based on these establishing the factor assessment model with further enabled experimental application thereof. Key tasks are: • Establish objective and subjective factors and their respective impact on ro-ro liner shipping; • Develop a complex assessment model for ro-ro shipping; • Apply the classical forecast methods while evaluating the specifics of ro-ro freight and potential crises in ro-ro flows; • Practical-experimental verification (approbation) of the research methodologies and models set up herein. Novelty of the dissertation: Revised methodology of ro-ro flow forecasts clearly defined factors to affect ro-ro freight and established model for complex assessment of factors likely to affect ro-ro shipments on the Baltic are used for further substantiation of ro-ro shipping prospects. Theoretical grounding regarding minimization of ro-ro ferry lading time has been carried out to find out appropriate required quantity of entrance gates, control units and parking spaces in the terminals. These principal provisions have been maintained in the dissertation: • Application of the methodologies for research of the specifics of ro-ro shipping on the Baltic; • Key factors to affect ro-ro freightage on the Baltic; • The complex assessment model for objective and subjective factors to impact ro-ro freight on the Baltic and overall criterion term to estimate the expediency of transportation; • Updated cargo-flow forecast methodology to base the ro-ro lines’ prospects by evaluating of critical cargo flow; • Minimization of ro-ro ferry lading time at port based on the recently adopted ISPS Code. Practical weight of the dissertation: Diverse models for investigation of factors affecting ro-ro transport presented in the work might be applicable in development of new ro-ro lines, refurbishment of existing lines and re-structuring of the closed facilities by due consideration of both subjective and objective factors that are likely to influence ro-ro transportation. Minimization of ship’s loading time at port.