PhD in the School of Engineering - Port operations and technical advancements: analysis of local costs and benefits

Number of awards:

1

Start date and duration:

January 2018 for 3 years.

Overview:

This PhD project (offered thanks to the support of the John Prime Foundation) will focus on one of the main elements characterising port economics, such as the link between technical advancements and generated benefits in terms of both efficiency gains and cost/benefit ratio. Technical advancements, such as automatic terminals, are in fact a key element of the industry development and their importance as competitive factor will grow in the coming future. Nevertheless, only a few researches investigate the actual gain in terms of generalised benefits (e.g. productivity and local economy) and how different external factors could affect the maximisation of these benefits. Among the most important elements influencing the achievement of actual gains, the identification and the evaluation of strategic, geographical, regional, and regulatory elements represent a key aspect, ultimately affecting the maximisation of the potential gains guaranteed by the technical advancement for both the operator and the local economy.

Against this backdrop, the successful candidate will investigate the current trends in terms of technical advancements, evaluating how to maximise the benefits for both terminal operators and local communities generated by these trends.

Sponsor:

The studentship is funded by the John Prime Foundation.

Name of supervisor(s):

Dr A Tei, Lecturer in Maritime Economics, School of Engineering, Newcastle University
(http://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/staff/profile/alessiotei.html#background)

Eligibility Criteria:

A strong ability in conducting self-directed research and producing reports is essential. Candidates must demonstrate a strong motivation and interest in the field of maritime economics and shipping. Applicants are expected to have, or to be close to complete, a good quality Master degree, or equivalent, in an appropriate discipline and they must have good English skills.

How to apply:

You must apply through the University’s online postgraduate application system. To do this please ‘Create a new account’.

All relevant fields should be completed, but fields marked with a red asterisk must to be completed. The following information will help us to process your application. You will need to:

insert the programme code 8070F in the programme of study section
select 2017/2018 for Academic Year
select ‘PhD Marine Technology (FT) – Marine Technology (Engineering)’ as the programme of study
insert the studentship code ENG008 in the studentship/partnership reference field
attach a covering letter and CV. The covering letter must state the title of the studentship, quote reference code ENG008 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project
attach degree transcripts and certificates and, if English is not your first language, a copy of your English language qualifications.