Aligning barge and terminal operations using service-time profiles

• DOI: 10.1007/s10696-011-9080-9
• Publication Date: 2011-02-21T09:58:27Z
• Authors: Albert M. Douma; Peter C. Schuur; J. Marco J. Schutten
• Keywords: BARGE; Benchmark (surveying); Port (circuit theory)

We consider a key issue in hinterland container navigation ports, such as Rotterdam and Antwerp, namely the barge handling problem: how to optimize alignment of terminal operations port. make major step solving problem for practical settings. Specifically, we restricted opening times terminals, unbalanced networks, presence sea vessels, closing containers. Consequently, at faces time dependency in: (1) waiting until start (2) itself. The concept profiles which introduced an earlier paper only deals with (1). To deal together introduce more comprehensive concept, that service-time profile. establish well our approach works, evaluate performance distributed planning extensively by means simulation. compare results those based on centralized using off-line benchmark resembling it. show Multi-Agent system enables operators align their efficiently. Hence, it can be seen promising solution problem, since (competing) companies collaborate competitive way.