DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER SIMULATION MODEL TO OPTIMIZE THE OPERATIONS OF A MULTIPURPOSE SEAPORT

Seaports have traditionally promoted regional and international trade by generating commercial and industrial activities, which directly assist the economic progress of the country. Much research has been performed and many different mathematical and empirical models have been formulated to predict and evaluate containerized port operations. In this thesis, a simulation model is developed to analyze the operation of a multipurpose regional seaport in Wilmington, Delaware. The model is used to identify the possible bottlenecks and optimize the operation of the port. The ProModel simulation software was chosen for the development of the model in the project because of its extensive graphic user interface, vast capacity of adapting different probability distributions, and the efficient transfer of model logic to the program. The simulation model generates different "what if" scenarios based on the change of different input variables (like number of cranes, number of ships and the number of cargoes in a trip, and change of intermodal shift from trucks to trains), which shows port performance under different conditions. The "what if" scenario then tries to find the significant elements of the multipurpose terminal operation which, if changed, could most reduce the turnaround time of the vessels. The results of the simulation model are used to choose the optimal change in the significant elements (ship turnaround time, waiting time for bulk cargoes, containers, and trucks) of the terminal's operation.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Delaware, Newark

  Delaware Center for Transportation
  Newark, DE  United States  19716

  Delaware Department of Transportation

  800 Bay Road
  Dover, DE  United States  19903
• Authors:
  • Faghri, A
  • Wahed, M A
• Publication Date: 2002-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 146 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bottlenecks; Bulk cargo; Cargo handling equipment; Container handling; Graphical user interfaces; Intermodal transfer; Optimization; Port operations; Seaports; Ships; Simulation; Terminal operations; Turnaround time; Variables; Waiting time
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00932085
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DTI 135
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 21 2002 12:00AM