There are several principals adopted to forecast a container terminal traffic . This has to be done by carefully as today containerization is a growing mode of traffic . Some of the things to be considered as follows :-
1)--- Percentage of any trade which may become containerized must be determined on the specific commercial and economic grounds for each case .
2)--- There are no fixed list of commodities as containerisable goods . But wider range of goods is being shipped in Containers every year .
3)--- Provisions must be made for substantial proportion of the movements of empty boxes .
4)--- The average weight of cargo per TEU must be calculated on experience . This varies from 5 to 18 tons which vary commodity wise .
5)--- The percentage traffic of import and export containers must be forecasted . This again needs study in to the export prospects of the selected port region , import needs , stuffing , destuffing facilities , road access etc . This is important and when involved in the planning of a new port where a port is already existing in the region . In this case all have to make the new port with facilities which are lacking in the old one .
6)--- It is necessary to project the traffic in Tons . For this average weight per TEU is calculated . An average of 12 tons per TEU is standard figure .
7)--- The hinterland an hence the port demand can be affected by change in the following factors .
----- Population Growth
----- Regional Development Plans
----- Land Transport Development
----- Coastal Shipping and Inland Waterways Developments
----- Possible reallocation or diversion of the traffic to or from neighboring ports respectively .
8)--- Change in Handling Methods and Container size and diameters etc .
