Multiship Crane Sequencing with Yard Congestion Constraints

Crane sequencing in container terminals determines the order of ship discharging and loading jobs that quay cranes (QCs) perform, so that the duration of a vessel's stay is minimized. The ship's load profile, berthing time, number of available bays, and QCs are considered. More important, clearance and yard congestion constraints need to be included, which, respectively, ensure that a minimum distance between adjacent QCs is observed and yard storage blocks are not overly accessed at any point in time. In sequencing for a single ship, a mixed-integer programming (MIP) model is proposed, and a heuristic approach based on the model is developed that produces good solutions. The model is then reformulated as a generalized set covering problem and solved exactly by branch and price (B&P). For multiship sequencing, the yard congestion constraints are relaxed in the spirit of Lagrangian relaxation, so that the problem decomposes by vessel into smaller subproblems solved by B&P. An efficient primal heuristic is also designed. Computational experiments reveal that large-scale problems can be solved in a reasonable computational time

Sea Container Terminals

Due to a rapid growth in world trade and a huge increase in containerized goods, sea container terminals play a vital role in globe-spanning supply chains. Container terminals should be able to handle large ships, with large call sizes within the shortest time possible, and at competitive rates. In response, terminal operators, shipping liners, and port authorities are investing in new technologies to improve container handling infrastructure and operational efficiency. Container terminals face challenging research problems which have received much attention from the academic community. The focus of this paper is to highlight the recent developments in the container terminals, which can be categorized into three areas: (1) innovative container terminal technologies, (2) new OR directions and models for existing research areas, and (3) emerging areas in container terminal research. By choosing this focus, we complement existing reviews on container terminal operations

Developing New Methods for Efficient Container Stacking Operations

Containerized transportation has become an essential part of the intermodal freight transport. Millions of containers pass through container terminals on an annual basis. Handling a large number of containers arriving and leaving terminals by different modalities including the new mega-size ships significantly affects the performance of terminals. Container terminal operators are always looking for new technologies and smart solutions to maintain efficiency. They need to know how different operations at the terminal interact and affect the performance of the terminal as a whole. Among all operations, the stacking area is of special importance since almost every container must be stacked in this area for a period of time. If the stacking operations of the terminal are not well managed, then the response time of the terminal significantly increases and consequently the performance decreases. In this dissertation, we propose, develop, and test optimization methods to support the decisions of container terminal operators in the stacking area. First, we study how to sequence storage and retrieval containers to be carried out by a single or two automated stacking cranes in a block of containers. The objective is to minimize the makespan of the cranes. Finally, we study how to minimize the expected number of reshuffles when incoming containers have to be stacked in a block of containers. A reshuffle is the removal of a container stacked on top of a desired container. Reshuffling containers is one of the daily operations at a container terminal which is time consuming and increases a ship's berthing time

Risk profile of port congestion : Cape Town container terminal case study

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Supply chains, both complex and simple, are often exposed to various levels of risk stemming from different sources. These risks, whether minor or critical, require a certain level of management to mitigate and control frequency and overall impact. The South African maritime industry suffers from a number of risks, with the most prominent source of risk stemming from vessel and vehicle congestion within port terminals. In most cases, this is due to a lack of port capacity, lack of operator productivity, severe weather conditions and/or system-related challenges. In South Africa, one of the most important ports – the Port of Cape Town – faces two risks associated with port congestion, namely, severe weather and system delays. These two risks place pressure on port management and can cause inefficiencies in both port operations and the operations of international shipping companies. This study focuses on developing risk profiles of current and future port congestion within the Cape Town Container Terminal, with the primary objective being to highlight the importance of managing weather- and system-related port congestion within the container terminal. The secondary objective of the study is to suggest areas for future research on port congestion in other South African ports. Overall, the purpose of this study is to offer some insight into port congestion as a risk to efficiency for the benefit of both South African ports and international shipping companies. The research conducted for this study was done in two phases, namely, exploratory secondary research followed by self-conducted primary research. The secondary literature research provided background information on the maritime industry, the Port of Cape Town, and port congestion in the World and in South Africa specifically. In addition, the primary data collected was used to analyse current port congestion within the container terminal, create forecasts of future congestion, and finally develop risk profiles of port congestion within the Cape Town Container Terminal specifically. The findings of this study indicate that vessel related congestion, specifically anchorage congestion, is the main risk within the Cape Town Container Terminal, while landside port congestion is likely to become a less severe risk over time. This is, however, likely to be influenced by truck queuing time and the 2015 truck ban, which were not included in this study. The findings of this study indicate that maritime-side risk is of greater concern, and that risk mitigation strategies should be considered in the present and the future. In conclusion, it is recommended that further research be conducted on the cost implications of port congestion, to determine the need for long-term financial investments, and on the impact of vehicle queuing and the proposed truck ban. Furthermore, it is suggested that a similar study be conducted on port congestion within the Durban Port container terminal, as research indicates that this terminal is also prone to port congestion issues.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Voorsieningskettings, beide kompleks en eenvoudig, word gereeld aan verskeie grade van risiko uit verskillende bronne blootgestel. Hierdie risiko’s, hetsy klein of krities, benodig ‘n sekere vlak van bestuur om die frekwensie en algehele uitwerking te versag en te beheer. Die Suid-Afrikaanse maritieme industrie ervaar ‘n aantal risiko’s. Die mees prominente bron van risiko is die opeenhoping van skepe en voertuie binne hawens. In die meeste gevalle is dit as gevolg van ‘n tekort aan kapasiteit, lae arbeidsproduktiwiteit, swaar weersomstandighede en/of stelselverwante uitdagings. Een van Suid-Afrika se belangrikste hawens – Kaapstad-hawe – staar twee risiko’s verwant aan hawe-opeenhoping in die gesig, naamlik swaar weersomstandighede en stelselvertragings. Hierdie twee risiko’s plaas druk op hawe-bestuur en kan ondoeltreffendhede in beide hawebedrywighede en vir internasionale skeepsmaatskappye veroorsaak. Hierdie studie fokus op die ontwikkeling van risikoprofiele van huidige en toekomstige opeenhoping binne die Kaapstad-houerterminaal, met die primêre doel om die belangrikheid van die bestuur van weer- en stelselverwante opeenhopings binne die houerterminaal te beklemtoon. Die sekondêre doel van die studie is om toekomstige navorsing in hawe-opeenhoping in ander Suid-Afrikaanse hawens voor te stel. In die algemeen was die doel van hierdie studie om insig te kry in hawe-opeenhoping as ‘n risiko tot doeltreffendheid, tot die voordeel van beide Suid-Afrikaanse hawens en internasionale skeepsmaatskappye. Die navorsing vir hierdie studie het in twee fases plaasgevind, naamlik, ondersoekende sekondêre navorsing gevolg deur self-uitgevoerde primêre navorsing. Die sekondêre literatuurnavorsing verskaf agtergrondinligting oor die maritieme industrie, Kaapstad-hawe en hawe-opeenhoping in die wêreld en spesifiek in Suid-Afrika. Primêre data is gebruik om die huidige hawe-opeenhoping binne die haweterminaal te ontleed, vooruitskattings vir toekomstige opeenhoping te maak, en risikoprofiele van hawe-opeenhoping binne spesifiek die Kaapstad-houerterminaal te ontwikkel. Die bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat skeepverwante opeenhoping, meer spesifiek vasmeerplekopeenhoping, die vernaamste risiko in Kaapstad-houerterminaal is, terwyl landopeenhoping oor tyd ‘n mindere risiko sal word. Hierdie sal egter moontlik deur voertuigtoustaantyd en die 2015-trokverbod beïnvloed word wat nie in hierdie studie in berekening gebring is nie. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui daarop dat maritieme risikoverligtingstrategieë huidiglik en vir die toekoms oorweeg moet word. Ten slotte word daar aanbeveel dat verdere navorsing oor die koste-implikasie van hawe-opeenhoping gedoen moet word om die behoefte aan langtermyn finansiële beleggings te bepaal, en om die impak van voertuie wat toustaan en die voorgestelde trokverbod te bepaal. Daar word ook voorgestel dat ‘n soortgelyke studie op hawe-opeenhoping binne die Durban-hawehouerterminaal gedoen word, aangesien navorsing daarop dui dat hierdie terminaal neig na hawe-opeenhopingsprobleme

Historia, evolución y perspectivas de futuro en la utilización de técnicas de simulación en la gestión portuaria: aplicaciones en el análisis de operaciones, estrategia y planificación portuaria

Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Análise Económica e Estratexia Empresarial. 5033V0[Resumen] Las técnicas de simulación, tal y como hoy las conocemos, comenzaron a mediados del siglo XX; primero con la aparición del primer computador y el desarrollo del método Monte Carlo, y más tarde con el desarrollo del primer simulador de propósito específico conocido como GPS y desarrollado por Geoffrey Gordon en IBM y la publicación del primer texto completo dedicado a esta materia y llamado the Art of Simulation (K.D. Tocher, 1963). Estás técnicas han evolucionado de una manera extraordinaria y hoy en día están plenamente implementadas en diversos campos de actividad. Las instalaciones portuarias no han escapado de esta tendencia, especialmente las dedicadas al tráfico de contenedores. Efectivamente, las características intrínsecas de este sector económico, le hacen un candidato idóneo para la implementación de modelos de simulación con propósitos y alcances muy diversos. No existe, sin embargo y hasta lo que conocemos, un trabajo científico que compile y analice pormenorizadamente tanto la historia como la evolución de simulación en ambientes portuarios, ayudando a clasificar los mismos y determinar cómo estos pueden ayudar en el análisis económico de estas instalaciones y en la formulación de las oportunas estrategias empresariales. Este es el objetivo último de la presente tesis doctoral.[Resumo] As técnicas de simulación, tal e como hoxe as coñecemos, comezaron a mediados do século XX; primeiro coa aparición do computador e o desenvolvemento do método Monte Carlo e máis tarde co desenvolvemento do primeiro simulador de propósito específico coñecido como GPS e desenvolvido por Geoffrey Gordon en IBM e a publicación do primeiro texto completo dedicado a este tema chamado “A Arte da Simulación” (K.D. Tocher, 1963). Estas técnicas evolucionaron dun xeito extraordinario e hoxe en día están plenamente implementadas en diversos campos de actividade. As instalacións portuarias non escaparon desta tendencia, especialmente as dedicadas ao tráfico de contenedores. Efectivamente, as características intrínsecas deste sector económico, fanlle un candidato idóneo para a implementación de modelos de simulación con propósitos e alcances moi variados. Con todo, e ata o que coñecemos, non existe un traballo científico que compila e analiza de forma detallada tanto a historia como a evolución da simulación en estes ambientes portuarios, clasificando os mesmos e determinando como estes poden axudar na análise económica destas instalacións e na formulación das oportunas estratexias empresariais. Este é o último obxectivo da presente tese doutoral.[Abstract] Simulation, to the extend that we understand it nowadays, began in the middle of the 20th century; first with the appearance of the computer and the development of the Monte Carlo method, and later with the development of the first specific purpose simulator known as GPS developed by Geoffrey Gordon in IBM. This author published the first full text devoted to this subject “The Art of Simulation” in 1963. These techniques have evolved in an extraordinary way and nowadays they are fully implemented in different fields of activity. Port facilities have not escaped this trend, especially those dedicated to container traffic. Indeed, the intrinsic characteristics of this economic sector, make it a suitable candidate for the implementation of simulation with very different purposes and scope. However, to the best of our knowelegde, there is not a scientific work that compiles and analyzes in detail both, the history and the evolution of simulation in port environments, contributing to classify them and determine how they can help in the economic analysis of these facilities and in the formulation of different business strategies. This is the ultimate goal of this doctoral thesis

1995 BRAC Commission

Air Force/Navy - Base Visit Presentations, May 1995. Box 85, L-007