Impact of container chassis management practices in the United States on terminal operational efficiency: An operations and mitigation policy analysis

Existing policies designed to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of truck queuing at maritime terminals often focus on congestion problems outside of the terminal gate, targeting a reduction in the waiting and turn time of trucks as the measure of success. This paper evaluates the impact that intra-terminal truck and equipment movements have on the terminal’s overall performance and the implications that these movements have on the effectiveness of current mitigation policies. Through a simulation of terminal processes occurring at Southern California ports it is shown that measures driving reductions in truck turn times impose greater operational loads on terminal equipment, essentially transferring savings in truck turn time rather than eliminating it in terms of the overall system. Consequently, the paper finds that total truck and cargo handling equipment movement and operational time constitutes a more accurate measure of the effectiveness of policies seeking to mitigate the impacts of truck operations at marine terminals.     

集卡调度方式对集装箱港区碳排放的影响

集卡已成为集装箱港区内的主要碳排放源,尤其两艘大型集装箱船舶同时作业时,港区内集卡碳排放问题严重。针对该情况下集卡调度模式的特征,基于智能体仿真技术构建集装箱码头生产作业微观仿真模型,定量分析传统先卸后装、双船一装一卸、同贝同步装卸工艺下集卡调度方式与集卡配置数量对船舶在港时间、集卡碳排放量的影响。实例表明,采用同贝同步装卸作业方案可保证装卸效率,并有效减少集卡碳排放,而集卡配置数量只对集卡怠速行驶产生的碳排产生影响。     

Modeling yard crane operators as reinforcement learning agents

Due to the importance of drayage operations, operators at marine container terminals are increasingly looking to reduce the time a truck spends at the terminal to complete a transaction. This study introduces an agent-based approach to model yard cranes for the analysis of truck turn time. The objective of the model is to solve the yard crane scheduling problem (i.e. determining the sequence of drayage trucks to serve to minimize their waiting time). It is accomplished by modeling the yard crane operators as agents that employ reinforcement learning; specifically, q-learning. The proposed agent-based, q-learning model is developed using Netlogo. Experimental results show that the q-learning model is very effective in assisting the yard crane operator to select the next best move. Thus, the proposed q-learning model could potentially be integrated into existing yard management systems to automate the truck selection process and thereby improve yard operations.     

Evaluating seaport policy alternatives: a simulation study of terminal leasing policy and system performance

The competitive characteristics of the North American seaport industry have, in theory, been causally linked to excess investment and low terminal throughput productivity. This paper empirically examines the link between seaport authority container terminal leasing policy and throughput productivity. Recent advances in inventory theory applied to service industries suggest the pooling of demand uncertainty can yield lower costs without sacrificing customer service. This concept is applied to a container seaport using simulation. The effort compares key output measures from a realistic base case model of the seaport to those generated by an alternative terminal leasing policy. It is shown that the pooling of demand in a common-user seaport reduces total vessel time in port by 17.1% with no reduction in TEU throughput. Throughput productivity is improved for the highest capacity terminals, while lower capacity terminals are made available for additional users or alternative uses.     

Evaluating seaport policy alternatives: a simulation study of terminal leasing policy and system performance

The competitive characteristics of the North American seaport industry have, in theory, been causally linked to excess investment and low terminal throughput productivity. This paper empirically examines the link between seaport authority container terminal leasing policy and throughput productivity. Recent advances in inventory theory applied to service industries suggest the pooling of demand uncertainty can yield lower costs without sacrificing customer service. This concept is applied to a container seaport using simulation. The effort compares key output measures from a realistic base case model of the seaport to those generated by an alternative terminal leasing policy. It is shown that the pooling of demand in a common-user seaport reduces total vessel time in port by 17.1% with no reduction in TEU throughput. Throughput productivity is improved for the highest capacity terminals, while lower capacity terminals are made available for additional users or alternative uses.     

集装箱码头集卡调度系统

集装箱集卡调度(TPS)系统通过动态实时地调度集卡,将装船、卸船和转堆等一系列需要集卡参与的多条作业路共享所有正在码头作业的集卡,使每辆集卡同时对应多条作业路,保证集卡在卸载后可就近投入其他需要的作业路中,以此缩短集卡的空载行驶时间和距离,实现大船作业边装边卸,在不增加集卡数量的基础上大幅度提高生产效率。     

A fuzzy AHP decision support system for selecting yard cranes in marine container terminals

One of the most important issues that planners and developers of ports have to address at the planning process of container terminals is how to effectively optimize truck turnaround times. The time that a truck spends at a container terminal for loading and/or unloading of cargo is a real cost scenario which affects not only the smooth operation of ports but also the overall cost of the container trade. The main objective of this article is to provide a decision support tool for selecting the best container yard gantry crane for loading/discharging operation of trucks at the landside of marine container terminals. Achieving this goal, this study aims at introducing and recommending the multiple attribute decision-making and the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process models that have been proven to provide a concrete basis for such a selection decision.     

A simulation model for gate operations in multi-purpose cargo terminals

ABSTRACT

A multi-purpose cargo terminal in a seaport contains necessary infrastructure to handle different types of cargo, such as container, dry bulk, general bulk, and Ro-Ro. Since such terminals generally have dedicated areas and equipment for different types of cargo, berth, and yard operations for each type of cargo can be considered separate. On the other hand, trucks that carry all types of cargo use the same gate structure to enter and leave the terminal. Therefore, a method to superimpose the traffic that is caused by different types of cargo is needed for the planning of gate investments and operations. Consequently, this paper has developed a simulation model for a multi-purpose terminal to estimate the gate traffic and determine the necessary gate infrastructure, so that it can be used as a decision support tool for terminal planners and operational managers.     

Methodological solutions for increased efficiency of modelling and simulation of seaports and inland freight terminals

The paper outlines the results of research aimed at developing an efficient simulation modelling capability for seaports and inland freight terminals. By providing the domain-oriented process of simulation modelling with a uniform and coherent methodological basis and integrating it with artificial intelligence concepts, it was possible to construct a powerful tool—Transnode. This is a decision-support expert system which enables efficient and fast modelling and simulation of any seaport or inland freight terminal, or a group of terminals, large or small, multipurpose or specialized, at optional scale. It produces simulation results which enable a comprehensive analysis of the port or inland terminal to be made as an element of the total transportation framework. Both methodological aspects of the developed solutions and practical features of the Transnode system are discussed in the paper.     

液化烃码头设计中的问题分析

以某海港液化烃码头设计项目为例,着重从安全角度出发,比照设计经验相对成熟的油品、液体化学品和液化天然气码头,对码头平面布局、工作平台布置形式、较多装卸臂引起偏心靠泊问题、液化烃泄漏收集设计方法,对低位受限空间、泄放线、消防介质的使用及工艺管线与设备的连接方式,以及事故水收集等给出一系列合理化建议,为此类码头设计提供参考。     

The relations between dry port characteristics and regional port-hinterland settings: findings for a global sample of dry ports

This paper aims at defining generic characteristics of dry ports by carrying out an analysis using a large sample of dry ports from around the world. The dataset includes details on 107 inland terminals worldwide. All dry ports in the database have been selected from studies in the extant literature before being shortlisted to fit our research scope. Data collected include terminologies used, actors driving the development, terminal throughput, total area, services provided and the relation with the corresponding seaport(s). Using statistical analysis, the paper examines how dry port parameters are influenced by (1) a different terminal set up, like sea-driven and land-driven development, developed and developing system, dry port functions; (2) specifications of the seaport with which the dry port is connected, i.e. seaport traffic, connectivity, utilization, etc. and (3) the transport leg linking dry ports and seaports. The findings could be applied to the planning and development of inland nodes from the perspectives of different stakeholders.     

集装箱码头泊位资源动态配置优化

集装箱码头泊位系统是一个典型的排队系统,船舶可视为系统的服务对象即顾客.将泊位及与之对应的岸桥作为一个整体可视为船舶排队系统的服务台,优化配置泊位资源就是基于这一特殊的排队系统进行最优的泊位数量决策.在对集装箱码头服务系统特性分析的基础上,基于排队论对集装箱码头泊位规模的确定进了数学建模,并开发了模拟迭代算法,结合实例分析显示了模型及算法的有效性.     

基于多智能体仿真的集装箱港口作业效率研究

集装箱港口生产作业系统是复杂的离散事件系统,数学建模方法难以构建针对整个系统的模型,而基于过程的仿真模型通常缺乏对设备调度的灵活性。为准确描述我国集装箱港口的作业流程,分析内卡配置数量对港口作业效率的影响,提出了基于事件驱动的集装箱港口多智能体(Multi-Agent)仿真模型。仿真结果表明:岸桥平均装卸效率(GCR)随着内卡数量的增加先急剧增加后缓慢增加,船舶平均等待时间(AWT)和平均在泊时间(AST)与岸桥平均装卸效率呈明显负相关关系。     

Internalization of port congestion: strategic effect behind shipping line delays and implications for terminal charges and investment

This paper develops a theoretical model to analyze the congestion internalization of the shipping lines, taking into account the ‘knock on’ effect (i.e. the congestion delay passed on from one port-of-call to the next port-of-call). We find that with the presence of the knock-on effect, liners will operate less in terminals, and an increase of a liner’s operation in one terminal will decrease its operation in the other. If the liners are involved in a Stackelberg competition, whether they operate more or less in a terminal under the knock-on effect depends on the comparison between the marginal congestion costs of terminals. Furthermore, we find that the coordinated profit-maximizing terminal charges are higher than both the socially optimal terminal charges and the independent profit-maximizing terminal charges. When the knock-on effect is small, the independent profit-maximizing terminal charges are set at higher levels than the socially optimal terminal charges; but when the knock-on effect is sufficiently large, this relationship may reverse. Besides, the capacity investment rules are the same for welfare-maximizing terminal operator and coordinated profit-maximizing terminal operator, while independent profit-maximizing terminal operators invest less in capacity. The larger the knock-on effect, the larger this discrepancy.     

基于元胞自动机的集装箱码头前沿水平运输模型研究

为了开发能更细致的模拟集卡行驶方式及特点的新模型,应用元胞自动机理论,建立以单个集装箱卡车车位为元胞个体的集装箱码头前沿交通流二维仿真模型。通过对该模型的仿真试验,证实该模型能输出更接近于现实的仿真数据结果。     

海港集装箱码头新型装卸工艺技术和模式的探讨

通过对国、内外海港集装箱码头新工艺和新技术开发研究情况的介绍,认为采用节能减排技术、新型高效的岸边装卸桥和堆场水平运输机械设备,建设自动化集装箱堆场(ACY)和全自动化的集装箱码头(ACT)已成为今后海港集装箱码头发展的方向.根据新时期我国海港集装箱码头发展的特点,提出集装箱码头和堆场装卸工艺模式创新的设想,并建议创造...     

装、卸同时进行新工艺下集装箱码头装卸资源分派模拟

通过对集装箱码头作业过程的分析,运用WITNESS离散仿真技术,将先进的装、卸同时进行的集装箱码头作业新工艺通过离散仿真技术呈现出来,建立装、卸同时进行新工艺下的模拟模型;研究装、卸同时进行新工艺下码头装卸资源配置,将上海洋山港的相关数据带入进行模拟运行,对模拟得到的数据进行分析得到集装箱码头需要配置的桥吊、龙门吊和集卡的合理数量,为集装箱码头实际运作提供理论依据。     

场桥防吊拖架系统

场桥在作业过程中把拖车车架吊起的事故时有发生 ,此类事故引起的后果严重。防吊拖架系统在场桥上的应用 ,很好地解决了这一问题。     

低碳型集装箱港区港内道路规划方案优选

合理的港内道路路网结构及交通组织是集装箱港口作业效率提升以及节能减排的重要保证。提出利用集装箱港区生产作业智能体微观交通仿真模型模拟集装箱生产作业流程,并以集装箱港口服务水平和集卡日均碳排放成本作为指标,优选低碳型集装箱港区港内道路规划方案。应用实例表明,集装箱港区生产作业智能体微观交通仿真模型可有效模拟港内作业过程,通过对比分析不同道路规划方案下的评价指标,得到最优的港内道路规划方案,为港区道路规划与设计提供参考。     

洋山四期全自动化集装箱码头交通组织

全自动化集装箱码头具有高效、绿色、安全等突出优势。采用与自动化工艺系统相适应的交通组织尤为重要,以达到充分挖掘道路潜力、有效减少交通参与者的时间延误、提高路网通行能力的目的。结合洋山四期全自动化集装箱码头建设案例,采用高速公路立交设计方法,引进城市道路单向交通理念,对港外、港内道路进行路线方案设计并分配交通量,采用VISSIM仿真软件进行交通仿真模拟。研究结论如下：港区进出港闸口分开布设,港内主干道采用单向交通,港外道路节点立交并布设港外辅道。