Information flow along the maritime transport chain - a simulation based approach to determine impacts of estimated time of arrival messages on the capacity utilization

Various actors are involved in hinterland transportation of incoming rail containers along the maritime transport chain. To coordinate each actor´s logistics processes, and therefore to improve utilization of existing transport capacity, the early provision of information, e.g. in form of estimated time of arrival (ETA), is inevitable. The objective of this paper is to determine impacts of these information flows on capacity utilization via a simulation based approach. To simulate the effect of ETA container from vessel to hinterland transport mode rail, a system dynamic simulation model is developed based on a case study about input containers at the port of Hamburg. As result the container output on rail is compared with and without ETA for different container input volumes. It will be shown; managing provision of information in supply chains - such as maritime transport chains - is a valuable approach for increasing existing utilization.