Integrated optimization and simulation model for resource acquisition and utilization : an application to ocean/river articulated tug/barge system

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Ocean Engineering, 1997.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-203).by Ming Qi.Sc.D

Assessing the eco-efficiency benefits of empty container repositioning strategies via dry ports

Trade imbalances and global disturbances generate mismatches in the supply and demand of empty containers (ECs) that elevate the need for empty container repositioning (ECR). This research investigated dry ports as a potential means to minimize EC movements, and thus reduce costs and emissions. We assessed the environmental and economic effects of two ECR strategies via dry ports—street turns and extended free temporary storage—considering different scenarios of collaboration between shipping lines with different levels of container substitution. A multiparadigm simulation combined agent-based and discrete-event modelling to represent flows and estimate kilometers travelled, CO2 emissions, and costs resulting from combinations of ECR strategies and scenarios. Full ownership container substitution combined with extended free temporary storage at the dry port (FTDP) most improved ECR metrics, despite implementation challenges. Our results may be instrumental in increasing shipping lines’ collaboration while reducing environmental impacts in up to 32 % of the inland ECR emissions

Comparative Analysis of Incumbent and Emerging Liquefied Natural Gas Regasification Technologies

Energy plays a fundamental role in both manufacturing and services, and natural gas is quickly becoming a key energy source worldwide. Facilitating this emergence is the expanding network of ocean-going vessels that enable the matching of natural gas supply and demand on a global scale by transporting it in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for eventual regasification at its destination. Until very recently only one type of technology has been available for transporting and regasifying LNG: Conventional LNG vessels and land based LNG regasification. It is now possible to transport and regasify LNG onboard special LNG vessels. Companies such as Excelerate Energy and Höegh LNG are currently developing LNG supply chains based on this new technology. Motivated by this recent development we engaged executives at Excelerate Energy to develop and apply to data an integrated analytic framework to compare these incumbent and emerging technologies. Our analysis brings to light basic principles delineating when to deploy each technology and how to configure the emerging technology. Some of our findings challenge conventional wisdom on the role to be played by the emerging technology; others provide answers to open questions faced by companies currently engaged in the commercial deployment of this technology. In addition, our integrated analytic framework has potential relevance for the evaluation of new technologies beyond this specific application

Optimization-Based Energy Management for Multi-energy Maritime Grids

This open access book discusses the energy management for the multi-energy maritime grid, which is the local energy network installed in harbors, ports, ships, ferries, or vessels. The grid consists of generation, storage, and critical loads. It operates either in grid-connected or in islanding modes, under the constraints of both power system and transportation system. With full electrification, the future maritime grids, such as all-electric ships and seaport microgrids, will become “maritime multi-energy system” with the involvement of multiple energy, i.e., electrical power, fossil fuel, and heating/cooling power. With various practical cases, this book provides a cross-disciplinary view of the green and sustainable shipping via the energy management of maritime grids. In this book, the concepts and definitions of the multi-energy maritime grids are given after a comprehensive literature survey, and then the global and regional energy efficiency policies for the maritime transportation are illustrated. After that, it presents energy management methods under different scenarios for all-electric ships and electrified ports. At last, the future research roadmap are overviewed. The book is intended for graduate students, researchers, and professionals who are interested in the energy management of maritime transportation

AGILE SOLUTIONS & DATA ANALITICS FOR LOGISTICS PROVIDERS BASED ON SIMULATION

The current advances are enabling the development of new solutions in data analytics and decision making in many fields; it is quite interesting to analyze the impact of this approach on logistics providers; this paper proposes examples of these challenges in this context as well as an example of a simulation based solution able to interconnect the different information sources and to fuse the data in order to analyze the logistics processes and support decisions. The proposed solution is based on web services and web application that are adopting the MSaaS concept (Modeling & Simulation as a Service) by using stochastic models

Adapting to Slow-Moving Crises: The Personal Protection Equipment Supply Chain in the Time of COVID19

In this paper, we look at the supply chain for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. We look at the way the supply chain has responded to the pandemic, the coordination of the supply chain relative to the needs of primary users, and the consequences of its use. We find that the supply chain has continued to function more as a commercial supply chain than as an emergency supply chain largely because of a lack of centralized coordination. We include an analysis of existing concepts as they apply to this supply chain, but also incorporate preliminary results from a series of interviews with key players in this and related supply chains

Smart Steaming: A New Flexible Paradigm for Synchromodal Logistics

Slow steaming, i.e., the possibility to ship vessels at a significantly slower speed than their nominal one, has been widely studied and implemented to improve the sustainability of long-haul supply chains. However, to create an efficient symbiosis with the paradigm of synchromodality, an evolution of slow steaming called smart steaming is introduced. Smart steaming is about defining a medium speed execution of shipping movements and the real-time adjustment (acceleration and deceleration) of traveling speeds to pursue the entire logistic system’s overall efficiency and sustainability. For instance, congestion in handling facilities (intermodal hubs, ports, and rail stations) is often caused by the common wish to arrive as soon as possible. Therefore, smart steaming would help avoid bottlenecks, allowing better synchronization and decreasing waiting time at ports or handling facilities. This work aims to discuss the strict relationships between smart steaming and synchromodality and show the potential impact of moving from slow steaming to smart steaming in terms of sustainability and efficiency. Moreover, we will propose an analysis considering the pros, cons, opportunities, and risks of managing operations under this new policy