The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis
Background: The Port of Durban in South Africa has faced significant road congestion for many years. To address this, the fresh-produce industry proposed a cross-harbour container-handling barge system. The citrus industry requested this study to evaluate the potential carbon footprint impact of suc...
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AOSIS
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management |
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| Online Access: | https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1112 |
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| author | Micah Burgstahler Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber Ben Human |
| author_facet | Micah Burgstahler Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber Ben Human |
| author_sort | Micah Burgstahler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The Port of Durban in South Africa has faced significant road congestion for many years. To address this, the fresh-produce industry proposed a cross-harbour container-handling barge system. The citrus industry requested this study to evaluate the potential carbon footprint impact of such a system on citrus exports transported in reefer containers around the port.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether a barge system could reduce the carbon footprint of citrus exports and alleviate road congestion to improve the export supply chain’s efficiency.
Method: Using an exploratory case study with primary and secondary data, the research applied a deductive approach to theory development. Carbon emissions were calculated for three scenarios: the current system, the proposed barge system and a combined system.
Results: The carbon emissions for the three scenarios are as follows: current system: 25.20 kg CO2e per reefer; proposed system: 17.43 kg CO2e per reefer; and combined system: 20.61 kg CO2e per reefer. However, the proposed system does not have sufficient capacity to handle all the reefer containers in a given citrus season.
Conclusion: The combined system is the logical choice. The combined system shows a CO2e emissions saving of approximately 18% per reefer compared to the current system.
Contribution: This study explores the carbon reduction and congestion alleviation benefits of a cross-harbour barge system at the Port of Durban. Unlike existing literature on inland waterway barge systems, it provides a port-specific analysis and is among the first to quantify CO2e emissions for citrus exports using a barge system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0a9607cc87e54aa6a74db650528eccc0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2310-8789 1995-5235 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
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| series | Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-0a9607cc87e54aa6a74db650528eccc02025-08-20T02:02:57ZengAOSISJournal of Transport and Supply Chain Management2310-87891995-52352025-02-01190e1e1210.4102/jtscm.v19i0.1112377The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysisMicah Burgstahler0Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber1Ben Human2Department of Logistics, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, Stellenbosch University, StellenboschDepartment of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Stellenbosch University, StellenboschDepartment of Supply Chain Management, Institute of Marketing Management Graduate School, StellenboschBackground: The Port of Durban in South Africa has faced significant road congestion for many years. To address this, the fresh-produce industry proposed a cross-harbour container-handling barge system. The citrus industry requested this study to evaluate the potential carbon footprint impact of such a system on citrus exports transported in reefer containers around the port. Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether a barge system could reduce the carbon footprint of citrus exports and alleviate road congestion to improve the export supply chain’s efficiency. Method: Using an exploratory case study with primary and secondary data, the research applied a deductive approach to theory development. Carbon emissions were calculated for three scenarios: the current system, the proposed barge system and a combined system. Results: The carbon emissions for the three scenarios are as follows: current system: 25.20 kg CO2e per reefer; proposed system: 17.43 kg CO2e per reefer; and combined system: 20.61 kg CO2e per reefer. However, the proposed system does not have sufficient capacity to handle all the reefer containers in a given citrus season. Conclusion: The combined system is the logical choice. The combined system shows a CO2e emissions saving of approximately 18% per reefer compared to the current system. Contribution: This study explores the carbon reduction and congestion alleviation benefits of a cross-harbour barge system at the Port of Durban. Unlike existing literature on inland waterway barge systems, it provides a port-specific analysis and is among the first to quantify CO2e emissions for citrus exports using a barge system.https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1112barge transportationbarge co2 equivalent emissionscarbon footprintcitrus industryport congestionroad congestion. |
| spellingShingle | Micah Burgstahler Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber Ben Human The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management barge transportation barge co2 equivalent emissions carbon footprint citrus industry port congestion road congestion. |
| title | The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis |
| title_full | The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis |
| title_fullStr | The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis |
| title_short | The carbon footprint of citrus exports via the Port of Durban: A container barge system analysis |
| title_sort | carbon footprint of citrus exports via the port of durban a container barge system analysis |
| topic | barge transportation barge co2 equivalent emissions carbon footprint citrus industry port congestion road congestion. |
| url | https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1112 |
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