| Abstract: | A simulation study on the design of flexible cargo holds in small-sized bulk ships is presented. The ships considered are equipped with moveable bulkheads which can be placed in a given number of positions in the cargo hold. In this way the ships' cargo holds can be partitioned into several smaller holds with flexible sizes, and several cargoes can be lifted simultaneously by the same ship. The simulation study deals with designing an optimal cargo hold 'configuration' which gives the best flexibility when cargo quantities vary. The results show that there are significant potential savings by finding an optimal cargo hold configuration. |
