Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) have been successfully applied to cargo terminals to reduce operating costs and improve productivity. However, the focus was on container terminal operations. Ports with roll-on/roll-off (RORO) terminals still heavily depend on human resources for the loading/unloading processes. Work operations are affected by human errors and safety issues. In particular, terminals where vehicles cannot be stacked pressure workers to handle cargo more rapidly, which induces more errors. In this study, we propose automating RORO terminal operations by using AGVs. We assessed the impact of AGVs on the productivity, cost efficiency, and environment. A series of simulation models was developed on the basis of the current loading system at an actual port to test the impact of AGVs. Then, we developed a cost model to analyze the economic benefit of AGVs compared with the current loading system. The environmental benefits were also analyzed. Results revealed that a system using 29 AGVs matched the productivity of the current loading system, and using more AGVs increased the productivity. For a given productivity level, the total operating cost of the AGV system was three times less than that of the current system over a 15-year period. The AGV system also showed great potential for improving the environmental friendliness of terminal operations. This is the first study to propose automating RORO terminal operations to improve productivity and sustainability through AGV technology rather than human factors. AGVs are expected to become a good option in the future to address labor shortages and the “untact” era.
The gradual commercialization of entirely autonomous vehicles is expected to bring numerous benefits, such as structural transformation in the industry. Specifically, in maritime transportation, automobile terminals that import and export finished autos are seen to transform their current loading system into a CAV (connected automated vehicle)-loading system to accommodate autonomous vehicles. In this study, the impact of introducing a CAV-loading system to a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ports was investigated. Simulation models were developed to test the performance of the terminal with the CAV-loading system. Then, a cost model was developed to determine the economic benefits of the CAV-loading system. The results in this study revealed that operating costs were reduced by 90%, while terminal operations were significantly improved. In addition, the study revealed that using the CAV-loading system resulted in a 12% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to that using the current loading system. The originality of this study lies in its transformative potential for an industry that heavily relies on human labor and has limited mechanization and automation. This study provides significant implications for incorporating autonomous vehicles in planned automobile terminal operations.
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