Simulation Modelling as a Dry Cargo Terminals’ Calculation Tool

Abstract

Making decisions based on intuitive analytical methods is becoming a dangerous practice in modern conditions of competition and high capital capacity of cargo terminals operation. Such methods are allowing to evaluate an average of performance indicators for cargo terminals at very best, while their market stability is becoming gradually more dependent on the pattern of distribution around the averages. This research proposes a method of cargo terminal performance analysis, based on the simulation modelling. The importance of focusing on cargo flows through the terminal, instead of modelling only the operational processes of a certain cargo terminal, is emphasized. The paper describes the approach to creating such models of distribution around the averages. The proposed model structure is targeted at a wide range of "dry port" type container terminals. There have been analyzed all possible traffic flows which require different capacities and technological resources for handling at the terminal. A standard description of the freight routes passing through the terminal as a simulated model provides low labor-intensiveness of planning experiments which helps easily change the cargo handling flow chart of the terminal analyzed. The efficiency of the simulation modelling method for calculating technological parameters of dry cargo terminals has been approved in the course of implementing several large projects.

Optimization of production and transport infrastructure based on cluster analysis methods

“…-models that determine transport and economic relations [4][5][6]11]; -organization models of the transportation process [8,10,[12][13][14]; -functioning and interaction models of the elements of transport systems [1,3,7,9,[15][16][17][18][19].…”

Experimental Studies of the Impact of a Container Terminal Zoning on Its Operation Efficiency Under the Conditions of the Free Port Vladivostok

“…Практические результаты исследования изложены в статьях [18]- [21]. Так, на основе имитационного моделирования и численного эксперимента разработан метод оценки количества причалов для размещения навалочных грузов [18]; выполнен расчет всех возможных грузопотоков, требующих обработки в порту, и описаны маршруты прохождения различных типов грузов через терминал порта, в том числе контейнерный терминал типа «сухой порт» [19], [20]; предложен метод оценки производительности технологических операций при планировании и нормировании операционной деятельности терминала порта исходя из их длительности [21].…”