Managing container reshuffling in vessel loading by simulation

Planning the loading operations on a vessel in a container terminal is a very time-consuming activity. On one hand, the placement of the containers within the vessel must satisfy various constraints; on the other, reshuffles, i.e., unfruitful movements performed on the yard to retrieve a target container when it is not located on top of a stack, should be avoided. To support the work of terminal planners, we propose a simulation model that returns an accurate estimate of the number of reshuffles required with respect to a given loading sequence plan and a given yard configuration. The simulation model accounts for great details on operations under stochastic conditions. The estimates returned do not deteriorate as the dimension and complexity of the problem grow. Numerical experiments carried out for a real container terminal show how the model may easily support the planners in their daily job.