Emulation

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.