Description
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals.
Study Reports on Motorways of the Seas as an Exercise in Project Management
1
The Short Sea Initiative?
Has been suffering in many ways: 1. No specific budget 2. No Short and Medium Term goals 3. No investment in ships 4. No progress on Customs procedures 5. No support for the ESN 6. Artificially cheap road transport.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 2
The concept of the MoS..
?is still under development. We cannot talk of a complete concept yet, nor can we afford repetition of the same mistakes in SSS. Firstly: We need to develop it so it does not remain an empty concept. Secondly: We need to define the goals Thirdly: We need to prioritise actions Fourthly: We must proceed in stages Fifthly: We must be able to measure progress
Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the
06/02/2013
Short Sea Initiative
3
Let us further examine these..
The Budget Nothing moves without a budget. The best way to fail a project is deny it a budget. That has been the case in the SSS so far. The result is slow growth and an average age of EU SSS cargo vessels in excess of 27 years. This is the number one requirement for any serious discussion about MoS.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 4
The lack of goals
While the objective - shifting cargoes from roads to the sea - has been clear and with us from the outset, there have been no short and medium term goals. I am seeing this as a consequence of the lack of a budget. If there was a budget, there would be a time frame and control mechanisms. Goals setting must become part of the early design of the Motorways of the Seas.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 5
The Shipbuilding Directives..
Not only have wrecked the EU shipbuilding industry, but Have left the EU short sea fleet seriously overaged and commercially weakened at the mercy of Far Eastern competition. The effect of these Directives must be waved for vessels operating in the EU Short Sea trades including the Motorways of the Seas.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 6
Customs procedures for SSS..
..vessels has been a longstanding joke. Another joke has been the preferential rates for short sea ships in EU ports. Consider the TIR truck for a moment in the EU carrying transit cargo, and the EU short sea vessel also carrying cargo. The documents needed are tenfold of those for the truck . SHIPS SHOULD MOVE IN PORTS AS FREELY AS TRUCKS IN EUROPE DO. Zero tolerance on this matter if we do not want the MoS strangulated by Customs blues.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 7
As for the ESN ?
Some ESN members had to close for lack of funds. Others have been having a hard time surviving. Support funds have been few and far apart. Questionable future, after a hopeful start. ESN Bureaus working along MoS should become intergrated in regional networks and funded accordingly..
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 8
Last, but not least..
Road transport has deliberately been kept cheap and SSS has been kept expensive. This is in full contradiction to the EU Short Sea initiative. Any corrective measures to this paradoxical behaviour of the EU will assist the promotion of the MoS. Should we revisit the Carbon Tax question?
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 9
Let us now turn to planning..
Developing the MoS concept. Cargo movement along the MoS must be: Fast and safe Cheap with frequent sailings Employing top software applications Linked to road, inland and trains. WE NEED TO DEFINE THE ABOVE.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 10
We need performance goals..
So many tons of cargo shifted from the roads after, say, three years of MoS operation. Maximum transit times norms. Minimum number of movements in ports per hour. Minimum number of sailings per week.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 11
And we need to prioritise..
Each MoS must be planned individually. Financing must be in place first. Entities participating in the MoS must enter their commitments into their own budgets. There must be overall MoS management which will also disclose information, maintain statistics, provide calamity abatement services and review charges and dues in participating ports.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 12
..and proceed in stages.
Stage 1: Identification of participating members, MOUs, agreements, etc. Stage 2: Business Plan and funding arrangements. Stage 3: Approval of Stage 2 and formation of the MoS management unit Most of all however we need an EU Commission approved model of a MoS management instrument.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 13
The MoS can yield results..
If designed properly If funded properly If managed properly If they offer good services to cargo If they offer profitable operation to ships
06/02/2013
Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative
14
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I do not wish to take up more of your time. The Motorways of the Seas deserve a try. If they work, it will be a world first. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 15
doc_194627198.docx
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals.
Study Reports on Motorways of the Seas as an Exercise in Project Management
1
The Short Sea Initiative?
Has been suffering in many ways: 1. No specific budget 2. No Short and Medium Term goals 3. No investment in ships 4. No progress on Customs procedures 5. No support for the ESN 6. Artificially cheap road transport.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 2
The concept of the MoS..
?is still under development. We cannot talk of a complete concept yet, nor can we afford repetition of the same mistakes in SSS. Firstly: We need to develop it so it does not remain an empty concept. Secondly: We need to define the goals Thirdly: We need to prioritise actions Fourthly: We must proceed in stages Fifthly: We must be able to measure progress
Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the
06/02/2013
Short Sea Initiative
3
Let us further examine these..
The Budget Nothing moves without a budget. The best way to fail a project is deny it a budget. That has been the case in the SSS so far. The result is slow growth and an average age of EU SSS cargo vessels in excess of 27 years. This is the number one requirement for any serious discussion about MoS.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 4
The lack of goals
While the objective - shifting cargoes from roads to the sea - has been clear and with us from the outset, there have been no short and medium term goals. I am seeing this as a consequence of the lack of a budget. If there was a budget, there would be a time frame and control mechanisms. Goals setting must become part of the early design of the Motorways of the Seas.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 5
The Shipbuilding Directives..
Not only have wrecked the EU shipbuilding industry, but Have left the EU short sea fleet seriously overaged and commercially weakened at the mercy of Far Eastern competition. The effect of these Directives must be waved for vessels operating in the EU Short Sea trades including the Motorways of the Seas.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 6
Customs procedures for SSS..
..vessels has been a longstanding joke. Another joke has been the preferential rates for short sea ships in EU ports. Consider the TIR truck for a moment in the EU carrying transit cargo, and the EU short sea vessel also carrying cargo. The documents needed are tenfold of those for the truck . SHIPS SHOULD MOVE IN PORTS AS FREELY AS TRUCKS IN EUROPE DO. Zero tolerance on this matter if we do not want the MoS strangulated by Customs blues.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 7
As for the ESN ?
Some ESN members had to close for lack of funds. Others have been having a hard time surviving. Support funds have been few and far apart. Questionable future, after a hopeful start. ESN Bureaus working along MoS should become intergrated in regional networks and funded accordingly..
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 8
Last, but not least..
Road transport has deliberately been kept cheap and SSS has been kept expensive. This is in full contradiction to the EU Short Sea initiative. Any corrective measures to this paradoxical behaviour of the EU will assist the promotion of the MoS. Should we revisit the Carbon Tax question?
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 9
Let us now turn to planning..
Developing the MoS concept. Cargo movement along the MoS must be: Fast and safe Cheap with frequent sailings Employing top software applications Linked to road, inland and trains. WE NEED TO DEFINE THE ABOVE.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 10
We need performance goals..
So many tons of cargo shifted from the roads after, say, three years of MoS operation. Maximum transit times norms. Minimum number of movements in ports per hour. Minimum number of sailings per week.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 11
And we need to prioritise..
Each MoS must be planned individually. Financing must be in place first. Entities participating in the MoS must enter their commitments into their own budgets. There must be overall MoS management which will also disclose information, maintain statistics, provide calamity abatement services and review charges and dues in participating ports.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 12
..and proceed in stages.
Stage 1: Identification of participating members, MOUs, agreements, etc. Stage 2: Business Plan and funding arrangements. Stage 3: Approval of Stage 2 and formation of the MoS management unit Most of all however we need an EU Commission approved model of a MoS management instrument.
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 13
The MoS can yield results..
If designed properly If funded properly If managed properly If they offer good services to cargo If they offer profitable operation to ships
06/02/2013
Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative
14
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I do not wish to take up more of your time. The Motorways of the Seas deserve a try. If they work, it will be a world first. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
06/02/2013 Avoiding the Slow Growth Syndrome of the Short Sea Initiative 15
doc_194627198.docx