Stochastic Modeling of Unloading and Loading Operations at a Container Terminal Using Automated Lifting Vehicles

48 Pages Posted: 27 Apr 2015

See all articles by Debjit Roy

Debjit Roy

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad

M. B. M. de Koster

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Technology and Operations Management

Date Written: April 27, 2015

Abstract

With growing worldwide trade, container terminals have grown in number and size. Many new terminals are now automated to increase operational efficiency. The key focus is on improving seaside processes, where a distinction can be made between single quay crane operations (all quay cranes are either loading or unloading containers) and overlapping quay crane operations (some quay cranes are loading while others are unloading containers). From existing studies, it is not clear if the design insights obtained from analyzing single operations, such as optimal stack layout, are consistent with the insights obtained from analyzing overlapping operations. In this paper, we develop new integrated stochastic models for analyzing the performance of overlapping loading and unloading operations that capture the complex stochastic interactions among quayside, vehicle, and stackside processes. Using these integrated models, we are able to show that that there are stack layout configurations that are robust for both single (either loading or unloading) and for overlapping (both loading and unloading) operations.

Keywords: logistics, queuing, transportation, uncertainty modelling

Suggested Citation

Roy, Debjit and de Koster, M.B.M. René, Stochastic Modeling of Unloading and Loading Operations at a Container Terminal Using Automated Lifting Vehicles (April 27, 2015). ERIM Report Series Reference No. ERS-2015-005-LIS, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2599593 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2599593

Debjit Roy (Contact Author)

Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad ( email )

Vastrapur
Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380 015
India

M.B.M. René De Koster

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Technology and Operations Management ( email )

RSM Erasmus University
PO Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands
+31 10 408 1719 (Phone)
+31 10 408 9014 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.rsm.nl/rdekoster

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