Abstract: Although they are required to make very large investments, port authorities are discovering that they have less and less control over their destinies. The major decisions affecting port traffic are made by shipping lines whose activities are global in scale. This paper examines the plight of public monopoly ports in a highly competitive environment. Several policy options are discussed.

Abstract: The operational performance of a port is generally measured in terms of the speed with which a vessel is dispatched, the rate at which cargo is handled, and the duration that cargo stays in port prior to shipment or post discharge. However, a progressive port manager will also wish to know how extensively and intensively its assets are being utilized as well as how well the operations perform financially. Indicators to measure these performances are determined generally in relation to the tonnage of shipping calling at the port and of the volume of cargo handled since port services in the main are rendered to ships and cargo. This note discusses the main indicators used by ports, in tabular form which briefly describes how the indicators are determined.

Abstract: A plurality of media access control drivers are coupled to and provide a respective channel to connect a computer and the switched network. Each media access control driver has a first mode in which a connection is established in the switched network and a second mode in which the local area network protocol is passed over the switched network. The media access control drivers may also be placed in a third and fourth mode which allow communication in an unformatted and non-LAN based protocol. The architecture also includes at least one port connection manager which manages one of the channels when the respective media access control driver is in the first mode and a connection manager to manage a status of the connection. The media access control drivers are coupled to a protocol driver to send messages in the local area network protocol when the media access control drivers are in the second mode. Each of the media access control drivers include a table of parameters which describe the channel and a set of entry points to the channel. A protocol manager catalogs the tables for use by other modules.

Abstract: Preface Introduction 1. Atlantic trade and the port of Bristol 2. Shipping 3. Shipping patterns 4. The export trade 5. The slave trade 6. The tobacco trade 7. The sugar trade Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index.

Abstract: A performance measurement, communication fault detection, and fault isolation system for a ring based communication network. The present invention includes mechanisms and procedures operable within each port logic device of a communication network for counting the number of message packets lost by the network versus the number of message packets lost by the particular port or it's attached communication station. The result is a generic loss metric for that particular port. Positive counts represent packets lost by the remainder (i.e., not including the particular port) of the network while negative counts represent packets lost by the port or its attached station. The present invention also includes embodiments wherein the above capabilities are provided for a group of ports but only for messages that contain a particular targeted address as the packet's origin (i.e., targeted loss metric). A source address embodiment is provided so that an individual port responds only to messages containing the address of its attached station. If the attached device is a single station then by computing the difference between the generic loss metric and the source address loss metric for a given port, a single attached station loss metric is determined. By communicating each loss metric result to a central NMS and therein analyzing the results of the generic loss metrics, single and multiple faults within the communication network may be detected and isolated. Dual homed station thru connection errors and duplicate address error configurations may also be isolated by the present invention.

Abstract: An integrated circuit dual port memory provides a preferred port which is always granted priority of memory access when memory access requests arrive simultaneous from both ports of the dual port memory. To implement this priority scheme, the memory request signal from the preferred port controls a multiplexor to select the input signals from the preferred port over the input signals from the non-preferred port. The memory request signal from the preferred port also serves as a busy signal to block a simultaneous memory access by the non-preferred port. In one embodiment, memory request signals of both ports are latched into registers clocked by the same clock signal.

Abstract: 1. The Regime and Access to Foreign Ports - a Definitional Controversy. 2. International Legal Standards and Regulation of Vessel Source Pollution. 3. The Nationality of Ships and the United Nations Convention on Conditions for Registration of Ships. 4. Open Registries and Substandard Vessels - the Role of International Organizations. 5. Port State Enforcement Regime. 6. The Paris Memorandum of Understanding - a Regional Enforcement Regime. Appendices: I: Formulation of Port State Provisions during the Negotiations for the Adoption of the UNCLOS. II: Documents on Enforcement Measures. III: Procedures for the Control of Ships and Discharges. IV: Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Jurisdiction. V: Ministerial Declaration of the Fourth Ministerial Conference on Port State Control: "Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention".

Abstract: An apparatus for interconnecting a plurality of segments each of which operates in accordance with a bus protocol specifying collision detection and propagation operations. The apparatus includes a switching mechanism including a backplane having P signal paths and P switch ports each with an input and an output. The input of each switch port is connected to a different one of the P signal paths and at each switch port it connects a selectable one or more of the P signal paths to the output for that switch port. The apparatus also includes a plurality of port circuits each connected to a different one of the ports of the switching mechanism. Each port circuit includes an interface to which one of the plurality of segments is connected and through which that port circuit receives a data signal from and transmits a data signal to the attached segment; an auto-partition state machine connected to the interface for that port circuit receiving the data signal from the segment connected to that port circuit's interface and generating therefrom a single output signal on the output line of that port circuit, the auto-partition state machine performing partitioning functions for that port circuit' s segment; and a control state machine receiving a signal over the input for that port circuit and using that signal to implement the collision detection and propagation operations of the bus protocol for the segment connected to that port circuit.

Abstract: The objective of this paper is investigate the extent to which the new (revised) pricing policy has improved the level of efficiency at the Port of Melbourne and to assess the contributions of the underlying factors of port efficiency. Further, it attempts to examine the distribution implications of the pricing policy between the major port users (i.e. shipowners and shippers) and its revenue implication for the Port of Melbourne. Using a conceptual framework derived from economic theories, in-house data and responses from the port users, the study reveals that the efficiency impact has been considerable and varied between berths; land transport links and crane productivity improvements were the major factors of the port's overall efficiency; the initial losers have been the shipowners and initial gainers the shippers; however, the gains have been limited and in some cases have been offset by the introduction of higher port service charges; in the long run it is likely that the shipowners and shippers' si...

Abstract: Port can be viewed as a complex system containing several entities with interfering attributes. The whole image is very complex and special care should be considered to model such systems.Several works for investigating, analysing evaluating and improving port activities are carried out, each of them is concerned with a specific area related to the port functions, the key tool for most of these works is the simulation.The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of a computer simulation program used as a management decision support tool helping in evaluating and improving the comprehensive port activities. The proposed simulation model consists from a statistical module, an input module, ship generator, cargo generator, ship operation planner, cargo handling equipment planner, warehouse controller, and the transportation means planner. All the planning and controlling modules related to ships, cargoes, warehousing and transportation means contain special optimizers the optimizers constitute operations research packages to be used whenever possible to optimize the specific process related to port operations.The computer model will have several output results; evaluating different port performance indicators, performing port improvement analysis, studying port expansion possibilities, estimating future view of the port and making an economic impact evaluation.

Abstract: A flexible container for medical solutions is provided that includes first and second film sheets sealed together along multiple sides so as to form a pouch having an open end. An end port member is located between and sealed to the first and second film sheets near the open end of the pouch to enclose the interior of the container. The end port member has at least one integrally-formed access port for fluid communication between the exterior and the interior of the flexible container. A portion of the first and second film sheets extend beyond the end port member and are sealed together along the edges of the extended portions so as to form a protective cover for the access ports. The protective cover is detachable.

Abstract: In a circuit arrangement for use in accessing selected address numbered with a preselected distance left between two adjacent ones of the selected addresses, a control circuit centralizes control operation of a switching network with reference to a reference one of the selected addresses and the preselected distance to make the switching network form internal paths between input and output port sets of the switching network. Alternatively, when ports of a selected one of the input and output port sets are accessed at a predetermined port interval, the control circuit controls the switching network with reference to the predetermined port interval and a reference port selected from the selected port set. A leading port of the other set is determined to be connected to the reference port. A rearranging circuit may be connected to one of the input and output port sets to rearrange an order of the ports of the one port set in consideration of the port distance. The reference and leading ports may be varied in a time division fashion when a conflict of internal paths otherwise occurs in relation to the port distance.

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Abstract: An arrangement for a token ring communications network includes nodes for transmitting and receiving data signals. Also provided is a communications medium for transporting the data signals includes a trunk circuit having a plurality of trunk segments, each trunk segment having an input end and an output end and a plurality of lobe circuits for connecting the nodes to the trunk circuit. A plurality of wiring concentrator are provided for connecting adjacent trunk segments as a ring. Each wiring concentrator having a plurality of ports including an input port connected to an input end of one of the trunk segments, an output port connected to an output end of one of the trunk segments, and a lobe port connected to one of the lobe circuits. Each wiring concentrator includes an internal trunk, a controller, and a plurality of switches for interconnecting the ports while the voltage and the frequency of the data signal are within predetermined voltage and frequency ranges.

Abstract: The abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme in July 1989 resulted in a massive restructuring of Britain's ports which in many respects has mirror-imaged that of the rest of the economy over the previous decade. In this context, the growth of small firms in the port transport industry since 1989, and in particular the emergence of workers' co-operatives, can only be explained as a process through which capital has sought to regain or strengthen control over the labour process and offset the (highly variable) costs of fluctuating labour demand. The result has been increased productivity and control for the port authorities that own Britain's ports.

Abstract: The abolition of the national Dock Labour Scheme presented with the oppurtunity radically to transform their cargo handling operations. Port employers have seized this oppurtunity and introduced radical changes to workforce compositions, their skills, work practices, and employee relations. The main factor behind these changes has been the desire of operation to minimize labour costs and maximize labour utilization in order to amintain traffic volume and competitive advantage. The short-term effect has been to improve productivity and profitablity(at least for the major port authorities), but it has also produced iinstablity in employee relations ans may in the long term prove counter productive>

Abstract: A system for processing digital electrical power signals derived from at least one externally supplied, substantially continuous, substantially alternating, electrical signal having a primary or fundamental frequency, comprises: a multiply-accumulate arithmetic processor having three input ports with at least one input port for receiving the digital electrical power signals, an output port and a processor control port; a first memory unit for storing a plurality of processor control signals; a second and third memory unit each for storing a separate plurality of processor input signals; and a memory control unit having the capability to respectively couple the first memory unit to the processor control port, and the first processor input port to one of the second and third memory units for each cycle of the primary frequency so that newly received digital electrical power signals may be continually processed by the processor for a predetermined number of cycles.

Abstract: A pneumatic deicing distribution valve 10 includes a body 12, a cap assembly 14 and a rotary member 30 contained therein. Rotary member 30 selectively connects an input port 18 with a plurality of output ports 20 for selectively pressurizing one of a number of deicing apparatuses. A vacuum port 24 places all output ports not being pressurized under vacuum.

Abstract: In the past sixty years, the independent public authority has become a significant but controversial device for planning and implementing government programs in a wide variety of fields. This article briefly identifies the major tensions that have shaped the public authority movement during these decades, and it then discusses the early years of the Port of New York Authority, where many of these patterns were first seen. The essay also describes the influence of the Port Authority's early experience on the spread of this institution in the Depression years and beyond, and it concludes with reflections on the continuing debate regarding the role of public authorities in a democratic society.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically reconfiguring a circuit to transmit data presented at 10Base-T or an AUI port for 10Base2 or 10Base5 ports connected to said circuit by sensing whether the signals being received by the 10Base-T port are valid and if so transmitting the 10Base-T signals and if not, transmitting the data from said AUI port.

Abstract: In this paper an attempt is made to outline the basic structure of taxes on trade and commerce at the Mughal port of Surat during the seventeenth century. This is explored chiefly from documents relating to the English East India Company. By the very nature of the Company being a foreign corporate body, it did not represent a typical ‘peddling’ tax-payer. But the system in so far as the ordinary merchants were concerned, can be restored for us indirectly by considering how far the Company was favoured in taxation matters. We may also reconsider the common view that the English enjoyed ‘invidious trading privileges’ by virtue of the orders of the imperial court, and that it was their privileges that explain their ultimate success in India.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for engines and, in particular, internal combustion engines used on marine vessels, is disclosed including a fuel injection system having a supply port for receiving fuel at a rate in excess of the controlled rate, an injection port for discharging fuel into the engine at the controlled rate and a return port for conducting fuel in excess of that discharged from the injection port from the injection system. The fuel injection system also includes a pump having an inlet directly connected by a first conduit to a return port and an outlet directly connected by a second conduit to the supply port, a third conduit system for conducting fuel from the supply tank into the first conduit at a first location between the return port and the inlet, and a pressure regulating system for maintaining the pressure at the return port at a predetermined substantially constant super-atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A multiple peripheral interface to a computer serial port includes a microcontroller with an adapter serial port for coupling to a standard serial port of a common type of host computer or terminal, a plurality of peripheral ports having read/write configurable data lines for coupling to devices of a process, and a central processing unit interfaced between the adapter serial port and the peripheral ports and executing an adapter operating program to translate simple letter commands and numeric values received from the host computer to port configuration commands, port read commands, and port commands and to translate data read from the peripheral ports to numeric values for transmission back to the host computer.

Abstract: A method for establishing an interactive communication between at least first and second workstations in a computer network system having a communication protocol for despatching messages between different workstations and being further adapted to exchange batch messages by means of an electronic mail program stored in each of the workstations. The batch messages are categorized such that a batch message of a predetermined category informs a receiving workstation that a sending workstation wishes to establish an interactive communication between a specified first logical port in the sending workstation and a specified second logical port in the receiving station. A batch message of the predetermined category having therein a reference to the first logical port is sent from the first workstation to the second workstation so as to be received thereby and is stored in a storage device containing a list of batch messages. Upon noting the presence in the storage device of a batch message of the predetermined category, the communication protocol is utilized to send an initiation signal from the second logical port in the second workstation to the first logical port in the first workstation. Upon receipt of the initiation signal, an interactive two-way communication is established between the first logical port of the first workstation and the second logical port of the second workstation.

Abstract: Multi-stage switching networks for connecting any one of N 2 output ports to any one of N 1 input ports that are strictly non-blocking or are rearrangeable to provide a wide-sense non-blocking connecting path between any one output port and any selected one of N 1 input ports without restriction on the number of output ports which may selectively connect to a single input port.