Strategies for dynamic appointment making by container terminals

We consider a container terminal that has to make appointments with barges dynamically, in real-time, and partly automatic. The challenge for the terminal is to make appointments with only limited knowledge about future arriving barges, and in the view of uncertainty and disturbances, such as uncertain arrival and handling times, as well as cancellations and no-shows. We illustrate this problem using an innovative implementation project which is currently running in the Port of Rotterdam. This project aims to align barge rotations and terminal quay schedules by means of a multi-agent system. In this\ud paper, we take the perspective of a single terminal that will participate in this planning system, and focus on the decision making capabilities of its intelligent agent. We focus on the question how the terminal operator can optimize, on an operational level, the utilization of its quay resources, while making reliable appointments with barges, i.e., with a guaranteed departure time. We explore two approaches: (i) an analytical approach based on the value of having certain intervals within the schedule and (ii) an approach based on sources of exibility that are naturally available to the terminal. We use simulation to get insight in the benefits of these approaches. We conclude that a major increase in utilization degree could be achieved only by deploying the sources of exibility, without harming the waiting time of barges too much

Evaluating the Location Efficiency of Arabian and African Seaports Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)

In this paper the efficiency and performance is evaluated for 22 seaports in the region of East Africa and the Middle East. The aim of our study is to compare seaports situated on the maritime trade road between the East and the West. These are considered as middledistance ports at which goods from Europe and Far East/Australia can be exchanged and transhipped to all countries in the Middle East and East Africa. All these seaports are regional coasters, and dhow trade was built on these locations, leading this part of the world to become an important trade centre. Data was collected for 6 years (2000-2005) and a non-parametric linear programming method, DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) is applied. The ultimate goal of our study is: 1) to estimate the performance levels of the ports under consideration. This will help in proposing solutions for better performance and developing future plans. 2) to select optimum transhipment locations.Middle East and East African Seaports; Data Envelopment Analysis; Seaports Efficiency; Performance measurement of Containers Ports; transshipment.

Synergy between theory and practice for ultra large container ships

In 2003 an accessibility study based on real-time simulations for the S-class container ships of Maersk Sealand was performed at Flanders Hydraulics Research in cooperation with all involved parties (public and port authorities, pilots, tug and shipping company). The regulation for the upstream and downstream navigation on the Western Scheldt did not accept the arrival of a ship with length over all greater than 340 m. The paper describes two main research studies executed to fill in the gap of knowledge about the manoeuvring behaviour of container ships in shallow and confined water: the accessibility of Ultra Large Container Ships with a maximum capacity of 14,000 TEU to the Western Scheldt and the accessibility of the Berendrecht Lock and Delwaide Dock located on the right bank of the port of Antwerp. An integrated simulation platform with mathematical models describing hydrodynamic (manoeuvrability, ship-bank and ship-ship interaction) and external (wind, current, tug assistance) forces and coupled ship manoeuvring simulators helped in evaluating the possibilities and limitations of head-on encounters, lock and turning manoeuvres. The combination of research and training has finally led to the arrival of the MSC Beatrice in April 2009. After a validation period of more than half a year, characterised by a constant adaptation of negotiated restrictions, a new regulation for the upstream and downstream navigation is being prepared

Simulation model to determine ratios between quay, yard and intra-terminal transfer equipment in an integrated container handling system

This paper presents a generic simulation model to determine the equipment mix (quay, yard and intra-terminal transfer) for a Container Terminal Logistics Operations System (CTLOS). The simulation model for the CTLOS, a typical type of discrete event dynamic system (DEDS), consists of three sub-models: ship queue, loading-unloading operations and yard-gate operations. The simulation model is empirically applied to phase 1 of the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai. This study considers different scenarios in terms of container throughput levels, equipment utilization rates, and operational bottle-necks, and presents a sensitivity analysis to evaluate and choose reasonable equipment ratio ranges under different operational conditions

A simulation analysis of the container handling process at Husøy port : the effect of a new container terminal

In this thesis we have been using simulation as a method to analyse the structural changes at Karmsund Container Terminal. By measuring the different steps in the container handling process, we were able to evaluate how the structural changes affected the latter process. Structural changes can in this thesis be defined as the construction of a new container terminal, including relocation of the various facilities and expanding the quayside. The simulation also made it possible to do a sensitivity analysis on the ship activity at the terminal. In this way we could evaluate how the structural changes affected the container terminals ability to handle an increased number of ship arrivals, as well as a growth in the container throughput at the terminal. First we will be introducing relevant theory for this research. Parts of previous literature were used in the development of the simulation model. The rest is presented as a basis for the overall evaluation of the result. Our primary data were collected through interviews and observation when visiting the container terminal. This information has been crucial for the development of the simulation model, making sure we captured a realistic picture of the situation. The secondary data were collected through historical statistics acquired from Karmsund Port Authorities database. Data concerning the terminal activities for the last 9 months were collected and processed using different goodness of fit tests. The distributions developed made it possible to utilize the full extent of the simulation program by capturing the stochastic dynamic aspects of the port activities. The results of the simulation told us that the structural changes potentially could affect the overall cargo handling process in a positive way. Leading to increased efficiency and an overall more stable operation. We also found the new terminal better suited to handle the expected traffic growth to the container terminal.nhhma