Container-Terminal

Efficiency in container terminal operations is key for competitiveness. Many large German terminals use the flexible but relatively risk-laden manned straddle carriers (SCs). The research project STRADegy evaluated the reliability and profitability of automated SCs in northern-German container terminals via a combination of a pilot installation and an emulation at the container terminal in Wilhelmshaven. Parallel to that, rollout-guidelines were developed. This paper introduces central results regarding a successful rollout of auto-SC-systems.

German sea and inland ports are of outstanding importance for Germany as a base for manufacturing and logistics. In the last decades, the port sector underwent several structural changes. Currently, the expected autonomation and digitalization of the entire supply chain create entirely new challenges for the port industry. In this context, the present article describes a planning approach for the development of an automated straddle carrier in northern German seaports. To evaluate both the reliability and the profitability of such an automated system, a planning approach, consisting of two fundamental steps, was chosen: (1) At first, in order to perform prototypical experiments, a pilot installation will be established in the area of the container terminal in Wilhelmshaven (CTW). (2) Based on this, the system’s suitability for the operative conditions in a mega container terminal is evaluated using a simulation and emulationbased planning approach.

Rising challenges of horizontal transports on container terminals and of the transports between various handling companies in the port demand a continuous improvement of processes and strategies to meet the requirements by clients and society. A low-risk method to test possible improvements is discrete event simulation. In this publication, horizontal transport on container terminals is compared to drayage transport between different handling companies in the port area. Similarities and contrasts are analyzed to simplify the transfer of knowledge between the two research fields.

Container terminals are complex logistics systems. In order to achieve highly productive processes and an efficient assignment of the resources, optimization methods and simulation modeling are employed in practice. Based on a case study from the Container-Terminal Altenwerder in Hamburg, this contribution demonstrates how simulation and optimization can be applied to improve the processes related to reefer container handling. We show that optimization methods improve the efficiency of the reefer mechanic operations and how simulation models can support the development and evaluation of such methods in practice.

This paper presents a simulation study that has been carried out at the Container Terminal Altenwerder in Hamburg in order to examine various topics related to the dispatching of automated guided vehicles (AGVs). After on overview of the structure of the simulation model, the application to the project is discussed. Several simulation experiments are summarized in order to demonstrate the broad applicability of the model.