Simulation-based analysis of handling inbound containers in a terminal

The continuing growth of marine container transport, as well as the complexity in the analysis of terminal port operations has created an ideal area for applying computer simulation. This paper focuses on the handling of incoming containers transported on trucks in an "all-straddle-carrier" system. All major processes are reproduced by the simulation model. Input data includes parameters of space, speed and arrival frequency in a generic format, so that the model is adjustable to any situation. Analyzing the model for periods of model time ranging from a day to a week can give insight to the service level provided by any given port configuration. The simulated system can be used as a planning and a process improvement tool. In the development of the simulation model an object-oriented environment is used. It proves quite effective, resulting in a reliable and adjustable model.