Container barge congestion and handling in large seaports: a theoretical agent-based modeling approach

Abstract

Container Barging forms an important mode of transportation especially in large seaports with a strong inland waterway connectivity. This is because it is Cost-efficient and environmental friendly compared to the other modes of transportation. Despite the significant importance, container barge transportation is faced with several challenges and inefficiencies. One of these challenges is the large waiting time of barges in large container seaports which has negatively impacted the reliability of barge transportation. It is due to these challenges that this study seeks to examine the reasons for barge congestion and poor handling to propose possible solutions to these problems. In achieving these objectives, a quantitative methodological approach was adopted for the study in which agent-based modelling was developed to analyze the different scenarios developed in the study. An impact assessment of each of the different scenarios was conducted to identify the most suitable that would address congestion and handling issues around container barging. The study concluded that the presence of sea vessels and the high priority given to these vessels are major causes of barge congestion in large seaports, hence the study recommends dedicated barge berthing spaces at each terminal. Appropriate smaller cranes should also be invested in, to enhance the handling of the barges.

Literature review and comparative analysis of inland waterways transport: “Container on Barge”

“…Therefore, increasing the market share and distance covered by COB could significantly reduce this share of costs in containerized intermodal transportation. Shobayo and van Hassel (2019) present similar findings showing that COB provides seaports with an alternative to directly move containers through inland waterways without wasting time on congested roads; thus, the cost per TEU declines, especially when transporting larger quantities of cargo. Maras et al (2013) find several conditions of COB cost advantage in intermodal transportation: (1) containers should be transported by large-sized barges to generate economies of scale;…”

“…With the increasing growth in the global container shipping market, the inland waterways transport (IWT) of containers is garnering increasing interest as a reliable and low-cost alternative mode to roadway transportation (Konings 2007;Caris et al 2011). Container on Barge (COB) transports containers between river ports and seaports via barge tows along accessible inland waterways (Shobayo and van Hassel 2019). Beginning in the 1990s, COB started to develop in Northwestern Europe (Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium).…”

Smart Steaming: A New Flexible Paradigm for Synchromodal Logistics

“…Instead, the impact of the river current on barges is relevant, reducing emissions when sailing downstream and increasing them when sailing upstream [49]. In any case, barges have been considered the most cost-efficient and environmental-friendly mode of transportation [50], and their revaluation in the modern era may lead to very efficient results.…”

“…Still, for barges, especially the largest, the seaport arrivals can be an even worse experience as the priority is usually given to sea ships. This is one of the significant challenges for keeping the barge transportation efficient, and it requires excellent investments in dedicated areas to handle barges in seaports [50]. Barges can be considered the most efficient transportation mode in terms of sustainability, and integrating them into a logistics network can provide high benefits.…”

A competitive analysis of EU ports by fixing spatial and economic dimensions

“…Despite the existing remarkable literature on port performance, the subject is still quite debated. One main problem is the complexity of the port structure since various characteristics determine maritime performance, such as the number of activities linked to it, the development of intermodal transportation and undesirable outputs (OECD 2016;Madeira Jr et al 2012;Bulut and Durur 2018;Munim and Schramm 2018;Shobayo and Van Hassel 2019). An additional issue is that there is no reliable database of collective information of international port dimensions (Cheon et al 2010).…”