Infrastructure Impacts and Operational Requirements Associated with the Next Generation Container Ships (Megaships) on the Texas Transportation System  

(PI: Chandra Bhat; Co-PIs: Mike Walton and Rob Harrison)

The introduction of megaship technology into maritime container freight trade to meet the growing demand of international economic expansion places Texas ports in a position of both risk and opportunity. The risk is that without providing for or not meeting the operational requirements of these new generation of container ships could lead to the loss a major economic stimulus. The opportunity is that by proper planning and deployment of actions designed to provide for a complete transportation system or logistics chain, one or more ports in Texas and the State of Texas stand to gain an increasing market share of the expanding containerized maritime trade.

The objective of this study is to focus on infrastructure impacts and operational requirements associated with the next generation container ships (megaships) on the Texas Transportation System. The identification of obstacles and constraints to the transportation network component of the integrated logistics chain will be met with the development of strategies, and bundles of strategies, recommended to address the relevant planning, institutional and financial issues.

Keywords: Inter-modal planning, port and infrastructure planning.