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Ports and terminals

BMT Transport Solutions advises ports and terminals on strategy and business development, building on the expertise of our core team and a network of experts within the international BMT group of companies. We offer a comprehensive range of services from conception to operation for a range of ports and terminals worldwide - from bulk ports to automated container terminals.

Conveyor belt at the Tarragona coal terminal

Conveyor belt at the Tarragona coal terminal

Each port or terminal exists in a competitive market environment: competing with other ports, but often also with other transport modes. Some predominantly serve their immediate hinterland, others function as node in complex door-to-door service patterns. In both cases, ports depend on adequate hinterland transport infrastructure, sufficient capacity, and competitive services for shippers and shipping lines.

All our services for ports and terminals are based on a deep understanding of the market and the operational aspects of the transport business and apply sound, tried-and-tested planning and engineering principles. We put particular emphasis on sustainable and efficient solutions that will work throughout a port's or terminal's life time and not just for the next reporting period.

Understanding the market for ports and terminals

A prerequisite for giving sound advice to a port or terminal regarding its long-term business development strategy is a thorough knowledge of its specific regional and global market context. We know the transport and logistics market drivers and key developments (including global trade patterns and growth expectations per commodity sector, emerging trends and market player strategies, and changes in the regulatory framework). Wherever necessary, we complement and extend our own knowledge through co-operation with local experts and domain specialists.

We have the right tools to evaluate the market and its impact on the port or terminal in question. Our comprehensive and sophisticated freight traffic flow and transport demand forecasts are based on our own freight flow simulation tools - BMT TS' European Freight Model (EFM) and Asia-Pacific Freight Model (APFM). These models can represent a range of different economic and policy conditions and assumptions bearing on the port's or terminal's future development. Where appropriate, we apply sensitivity and elasticity analyses to evaluate different development options and expected impacts.

In addition, we can conduct reviews of the public policy issues likely to affect business positioning and development.

Within international supply chains, ports and terminals are vital distribution elements. BMT can help locate, plan, design, engineer and equip these transport chain nodes so that they meet customers' requirements. We also address owners and operators' infrastructure, ICT and security needs (e.g. conformance to ISPS).

Our market intelligence for ports and terminals includes:

  • Market forecasts and transport demand modelling based on freight flow simulations:
  • Route and modal split analyses
  • Elasticity and sensitivity analyses
  • Market sector trend assessments
  • Competitor analyses
  • Policy reviews

Operational assessment

We investigate the status quo and performance of the assets or services in question, looking at technical condition as well as operational performance with a focus on key performance indicators (KPIs). Based on the analysis of the current workflow and the technical analysis of the existing assets we review and work out optimised development plans, which includes the improvement of equipment and systems, as well as the calculation of investment needs. Where appropriate, our assessment includes environmental audits and impact assessments of planned developments.

We underpin our assessments by a variety of planning, forecasting and operational models comprising:

  • Management reviews and support
  • Technical reviews, audits of existing assets
  • Operational reviews and efficiency analyses (benchmarking)
  • Environmental audits of existing sites
  • Risk assessment
  • Balanced scorecard
  • Capacity modelling
  • EHS (environmental, health & safety) and security analyses
  • Regulatory reviews

Port business and master planning

Strategic advice turns market intelligence into an action plan for a port or terminal. The development of viable master and business plans is a key foundation for the success of a port or terminal operation and administration. We have created concepts, development strategies and action plans for a variety of ports and terminals. Furthermore, we have assisted during the implementation of development strategies and identified financial and strategic investment options as well as suitable financial partners. The latter also includes support for the acquisition of public funds (e.g. EU funds).

The privatisation of public ports is of growing significance in Europe and throughout many regions worldwide. We have advised on port reform strategies, identified appropriate splits of commercial and regulatory functions, and assisted the transfer of public ports to the private sector.
Based on the status quo analysis, we then put in place the elements needed by ports and terminals to set their future strategy. This can include the following services:

  • Master planning, business planning, strategic market positioning
  • Capacity modelling
  • Assessment of infra- and superstructure upgrade needs
  • Vendor due diligence
  • Feasibility studies evaluating expansion/integration options and constraints
  • Security audits, requirements analyses, implementation support
  • Identification of promising customers in view of their logistic requirements
  • Evaluation of public funding options and support in the application for such funds

Implementation support

Once the port or terminal has determined the optimal way forward, we can then support the implementation of solutions through:

  • BPR (Business Process Reengineering)
  • Calculation of financing and/or investment needs
  • Evaluating public funding opportunities, support in funds acquisition
  • Concessions and procurement assistance
  • EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) of planned sites
  • Providing vendor due diligence for divestitures
  • Project management
  • Construction managment

Financial services

Our financial services often include financial assessments of ports and terminal, which are either provided as part of a due diligence process or in the context of business consultancy for port and terminals. We provide financial services on behalf of the asset owners, potential vendors or any financial institution involved in an acquisition or merger process.

We support ports and terminals by assessing and/or modelling the expected costs of a transaction or a major planned investment and by analysing tariff structures and future revenue streams which are based on the market forecast results. We grant financial bidding and evaluation support by executing the following studies:

  • Financial planning
  • CAPEX review and modelling
  • OPEX review and modelling
  • Financial risk assessments
  • Tariff analyses
  • Revenue forecasts
  • Cost/benefit analyses

Selected references port business and master planning

Strategic advice (2007)

Client: Port of Trelleborg

The strategic advice involved the simulation and forecasting of future transport demand on the ferry lines using the port and the evaluation of new ferry concepts; support in the application for public funds; lobbying for the Port on the European level; and support for participation in EU projects.

Strategic and business advice, Behai, China (2006)

Client: Confidential

As part of a team, BMT provided port planning and technical advice, developing the business plan for two port investment opportunities for a private investment company. The first of two opportunities included development a new port on reclaimed land. The second opportunity included expansion and redevelopment of an existing port to increase efficiency and capacity.

Strategic and technical advice, LNG Terminal in the Port Hazira, India (2006)

Client: Shell

BMT provided planning and detailed engineering design services for a fresh water intake protection structure at the LNG Terminal in the Port Hazira, India.

Assessment of traffic and forecast of unitized cargo throughput of a new planned deep-sea terminal (2006)

Client: Port of Stockholm

BMT provided freight flow forecasts for throughput of a new planned deep-sea terminal close to Stockholm. Various scenarios and their impacts on the forecasts were simulated.

Baltic Marine Outlook (2006)

Client: Multi-client study

BMT carried out an assessment and an analysis of both foreign and intra regional trades. The strategic context of maritime transport was described and future maritime freight flows in the Baltic Sea Region (incl. Russia, Baltic States and Poland) were simulated and forcasted until 2020. Read summary...

Vietnam: Port planning and the provision of technical port advice (2005)

Client: Interflour

This project was undertaken for the expansion of an existing bulk products port in Vietnam to handle Panamax size vessels. Works included the planning and operational modelling of all marine and land side operations and the assessment of barge loading options to improve the outloading of product from the port.

Capacity 2025. A strategic assessment of the future capacity of Continental transport corridors (2004)

Client: Multi-client study

Clients included a number of RoRo ports interested in making capacity need assessment based on traffic growth forecasts. Focussing on the growth of freight transport by truck (via RoRo links) and on the effects of different road pricing levels on the use of European motorways, BMT used the advanced EFM-STAN (European Freight Model) simulation model to simulate and test transportation scenarios for a number of corridors in the Scandinavian and central Continental European area. Aspects modelled included transport policy options and different transport infrastructure scenarios (e.g. land links). Read more...

Port Community Systems strategic advice (2004-2005)

Client: Port of Gothenburg

BMT Transport Solutions provided an analysis of the concept of Port Community Systems, trends and port initiatives: BMT provided a feasibility study concerning Port Community Systems, including a SWOT analysis, interviews, description of the business processes and problem analysis to recommend an action plan.