Transit vessel scheduling

Abstract

A transit vessel traffic scheduling algorithm has been developed to limit the negative effects on cargo volume throughput in two‐way waterways where separation distances between transiting vessels must be maintained and passage restrictions may hold. It runs in time that is polynomial in the number of ships involved in the computation and finds schedules which increase the utilization of waterways. Three examples illustrate its use. The first example is situated in the Sunda Strait where the algorithm is used to enhance the safety of merchant shipping against a terrorist threat. It illustrates important features of the algorithm and demonstrates how it can be used with cross traffic. The second example is situated in the Strait of Istanbul and offers a comparison between the developed algorithm and the transit vessel scheduling algorithm of Ulusçu et al., J Navig 62 (2009), 59–77. This was done using a plausible model of the Strait of Istanbul. The third and last example shows how the algorithm can be used to schedule transit vessel traffic in two‐way waterways with junctions. This feature is especially useful in congested waters with a high risk of collisions like the Inland Sea of Japan. An extreme test case proves that the developed algorithm is a practical algorithm ready for such use. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 64: 225–248, 2017

Scheduling and simulation of maritime traffic in congested waterways: an application to the Strait of Istanbul

“…Moreover, the average difference is higher in 2009 for northbound vessels, whereas the average difference is higher in 2011 and 2014 for southbound vessels. For validation, in addition to comparing the model results with the actual traffic results, several models related to transit vessel scheduling in the Strait of Istanbul (Ulusçu et al, 2009;Özlem, 2011;Candanoglu, 2013;Sluiman, 2017) are considered. However, the results of these studies do not match based on time and/or performance measures.…”

“…They tackled this problem as a multi-objective modelling approach with the objectives of minimising delays between ports, and minimising monetary loss while maximising speed compliancy when compared with past velocity limits. Sluiman (2017) designed a transit vessel scheduling algorithm that finds the best allocation for two-way ship traffic and applied this algorithm in various waterways. The study compared the proposed schedule with the schedules formerly applied and presented notable similarities.…”

Multi-object-based Vessel Traffic Scheduling Optimisation in a Compound Waterway of a Large Harbour

“…Due to numerous constraints and variables in the VTSCW, vessel scheduling in the port exhibits huge time complexity; therefore, it is difficult for traditional mathematical methods and tools such as IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization studio to obtain exact solutions when the number of scheduled vessels has a certain scale (Lalla-Ruiz et al, 2016; Sluiman, 2017). Furthermore, VTSCW is a multi-objective optimisation model.…”

“…Lalla-Ruiz et al (2016) proposed a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP), which could allocate vessels to a waterway scheduling sequence, and then used a simulated annealing algorithm to solve the model. Sluiman (2017) proposed a linear programming model with the object of maximising the average gross tonnage throughput in a two-way waterway. In addition to waterway resources, numerous academic papers have focused on other resources or aspects related to vessel scheduling, such as the allocation of chamber lock space (Verstichel et al, 2014), tugs (Zhen et al, 2017) and berth assignment (Imai et al, 2001; 2008; Golias et al, 2006; Imaiab et al, 2007).…”

Tidal Propagation Based On Co-Phase Chart and Co-Range Chart in Sunda Strait, Indonesia

“…The Sunda Strait is an alternative route of shipping when the traffic flow in the Malacca Strait is inhibited [5], [6]. Therefore, the Sunda Strait is the route commonly used for international shipping lanes [7], [8] as well as the crossing path from Java Island to Sumatra Island [9]. The depth in the Sunda Strait waters ranges from 0.5 m to 1,885 m [10]- [12].…”