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 This page contains a visit report of the training programme at Wuhan from 20 February until 24 February 2006. Courses were conducted by Thierry Vanelslander and Tom Pauwels, both members of the Department of Transport and Regional Economics.
Saturday 18/2/2006
Thierry Vanelslander and Tom Pauwels arrive at Tianhe Airport (Wuhan). Staff from Wuhan University (WUT) were waiting for them and drove them to the hotel. Later in the evening a first informal meeting was held with representatives from WUT.
Sunday 19/2/2006
In the evening, the University of Antwerp staff had an informal meeting with the participants from Vietnam Maritime University (VIMARU).
Monday 20/2/2006
In the morning session, the University of Antwerp course conductors and participant staff from WUT and VIMARU introduced themselves. This was to enable the course conductors to assess the background of the participant staff. It was important for the University of Antwerp staff to have an idea about the participants’ background (education, work experience..) in order to put more stress on specific topics during the course. A schematic overview was given of the one-week course. The focus was on main topics in transport economics, to be used in the analysis of inland navigation transport. It was noted at this point that analysis of inland navigation is not a topic of its own, but would be studied in relation to other types of transport (importance of hinterland transportation, total logistics chain…). After this introduction, a global overview of the transport market was presented - among others: who are the players in the transport market, evolution of transport over time and space.
Morning session (9.00-12.00)
Introduction
University of Antwerp course conductors (Tom Pauwels and Thierry Vanelslander)
WUT participant staff
Course outline (Tom Pauwels)
Organisation of the transport market (Thierry Vanelslander)
In the afternoon session, the demand for transport was analyzed. A presentation was made on relevant concepts such as aggregate versus disaggregate research and stated preference versus revealed preference. In a next step, the classic 5-step procedure in modelling was dealt with in detail (generation, distribution, modal split, traffic conversion and assignment to infrastructure). Finally, the feasibility of decoupling freight transport and economic activity was discussed. Afternoon session (14.00-17.00)
Demand for transport (Tom Pauwels)
Aggregate vs. disaggregate research, stated preference vs. revealed preference, 5-step procedure in modelling, derived character of transport demand, elasticities.
Decoupling of freight transport and economic activity: realism or utopia? (Tom Pauwels) Tuesday 21/2/2006
In the Monday session, the focus was on demand for transport. In this session, the supply of transport was analysed. Concepts such as economies of scale and economies of scope were discussed. Combining the demand and supply of transport, the equilibrium process was shown. Finally, market structures in transport were indicated (e.g. monopoly, oligopoly,…).
Morning session (9.00-12.00)
Transport supply (Thierry Vanelslander)
Outputs, inputs, heterogeneity, cost functions
Equilibrium and market structure (Thierry Vanelslander) In the afternoon session, a workshop was set up, in order to get a practical grip on the theoretical sessions of Monday and Tuesday morning. Input from the participant staff was required. This means that the University of Antwerp course conductors have set up a case study about demand and supply of transport. The participant staff were asked to analyze the case study from the point of view of the theoretical considerations made earlier. Afternoon session (14.00-17.00)
Workshop (Thierry Vanelslander and Tom Pauwels) Wednesday 22/2/2006
In this session it was discussed how transport pricing can be an important tool for transport policy. Environmental taxation is a well known concept in the literature on environmental economics. The principles of pricing in transport were highlighted (marginal congestion costs, marginal infrastructure costs, marginal environmental costs and marginal accident costs). Those concepts can be used in the domain of port pricing.
Morning session (9.00-12.00)
Pricing in transport
Introduction: Pricing (Tom Pauwels)
Port pricing (Thierry Vanelslander) In the afternoon, University of Antwerp course conductors and the DUT/CICAT project coordinator have carried out interviews to select the fellowships for a 6-month stay in Belgium and the Netherlands (see also next chapter in this report). Afternoon session (14.00-17.00)
Interviews to select fellowships (Thierry Vanelslander and Tom Pauwels) Thursday 23/2/2006
In this session it was analysed how decisions can be taken about the introduction of new transport infrastructure on the basis of cost-benefit analysis. In the workshop, an example was given of a new infrastructure project. Based on the available information, the participant staff were asked to calculate whether the new infrastructure project is economically advisable.
Morning session (9.00-12.00)
Investment analysis (Thierry Vanelslander) Afternoon session (14.00-17.00)
Workshop investment analysis (Thierry Vanelslander and Tom Pauwels) Friday 24/2/2006
Transport models are used to make simulations on evolutions of transport. In this session an overview was given of freight transport modelling in practice. Advice was given with respect to data collection. Possible pitfalls were highlighted. One example of a transport model was presented in detail (MOBILEC). At this moment, a European project is being carried out about marginal costs in transport: some highlights were given. The one-week course was finalized with an evaluation of the course by the participant staff.
Morning session (9.00-13.00)
Transport modelling
Freight transport models: an overview (Tom Pauwels)
Freight transport models: Mobilec, an example (Tom Pauwels)
Port pricing in practice: GRACE project (Tom Pauwels) In the afternoon, the course conductors were driven to the airport.
More information on the European Commission's Asia Link Programme can be found here. VIMARU (Vietnam Maritime University) WUT (Wuhan University of Technology)
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