Effects of block lengths and stacking policies on overall performance at non-transshipment container terminals. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Xuhui; Tang, Guolei; Guo, Zijian; Song, Xiangqun
• Is Part Of: Simulation. Volume 95:Number 9(2019)
• Page Start: 873
• Page End: 891
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Container terminal -- operational performance -- block length -- stacking policy -- multiagent system -- simulation; Computer simulation -- Periodicals; 003.3
• DOI: 10.1177/0037549718815969
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-5497

Abstract

The ever-increasing worldwide container throughput and the intensified port competition have demanded better terminal operational performance, which is usually measured by the gross crane rate (GCR). In this paper, a multiagent-based simulation model is proposed to investigate how the block length of the storage yard and the tactical-level stacking policy affect the operational performance of non-transshipment container terminals over the long term. Experiments consider seven block lengths, two yard truck fleet sizes and two stacking policies. The results demonstrate that the best block length yielding the highest GCR is dependent on the stacking policy and the yard truck fleet size, and the separate stacking policy is essentially superior to the scattered stacking policy. Specifically, only when 9-yard trucks are deployed per quay crane under the separate stacking policy, can the typical 42-slot block length achieve the highest GCR. Although the experiments are not exhaustive, they do provide the first fundamental insights, with respect to the effects of block lengths and stacking policies, on the long-term performance at a manually controlled non-transshipment container terminal.