One of the answers to the ever-increasing transshipment volumes that are required within the same timeframe at the quays of the world's large container ports, is the automation of the processes. However, until now ECT in Rotterdam (Rijsenbrij and Van Ham, 1983) is still the only stevedore that has fully automated the transport from quay to stack as well as the stacking operations. The coordination of different automated systems is one of the key issues to create a reliable system, able to handle larger volumes under any circumstances. Generally speaking the co-ordination is done by the planning and control system (PCS). This overall system consists of many components. Simulations to a larger extent can support the development of a PCS, as will be shown in this paper. Mannesmann Demantic Gottwald and TBA Nederland have developed simulation models that are linked to real planning algorithms in order to test them in collaboration and under all kind of (exceptional) circumstances. At first those simulation models have provided insight in the dimensioning of a number of different terminals and have tested the first concepts of routing, collision avoidance and order assignment. Currently more sophisticated algorithms are linked to the simulation, replacing earlier modules. However, the structure of the models remains unchanged as consequence of the structure of the simulation, which is as if it would be the real PCS. This approach has already proved itself in terms of efficiency of the development process as well in the quality of the results. The objective for the near future will be to apply simulations more and more in the development process of real software, such as a planning and control system for container ports.
Preparing simulations for more advanced purposes: Design of an automated container terminal
Auf dem Weg zu einem fortgeschrittenen Einsatz der Simulation: Entwurf eines automatisierten Container-Terminals
2000
11 Seiten, 4 Bilder, 7 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Advanced Container Terminal Design
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1995
|Terminal Automation The future of the automated container terminal
British Library Online Contents | 2003