Green vehicle technology to enhance the performance of a European port: A simulation model with a cost-benefit approach

• Published in: Transportation research. Part C, Emerging technologies Vol. 60; pp. 169 - 188
• Main Authors: Kavakeb, Shayan, Nguyen, Trung Thanh, McGinley, Kay, Yang, Zaili, Jenkinson, Ian, Murray, Roisin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Automated guided vehicles; Container terminals; Cost-benefit analysis; Discrete-event simulation; Fleet sizing; Intelligent autonomous vehicles; Cost-benefit analysis; Intelligent autonomous vehicles; Fleet sizing; Container terminals; Automated guided vehicles; Discrete-event simulation
• ISSN: 0968-090X; 1879-2359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2015.08.012

•Developing high-fidelity 3D simulations for container terminals.•Developing a cost model to estimate the cost of container ports.•Studying the impact of advanced online scheduling on the port efficiency.•Evaluating the performance of the case-studied port with intelligent vehicles. In this paper, we study the impact of using a new intelligent vehicle technology on the performance and total cost of a European port, in comparison with existing vehicle systems like trucks. Intelligent autonomous vehicles (IAVs) are a new type of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) with better maneuverability and a special ability to pick up/drop off containers by themselves. To identify the most economical fleet size for each type of vehicle to satisfy the port’s performance target, and also to compare their impact on the performance/cost of container terminals, we developed a discrete-event simulation model to simulate all port activities in micro-level (low-level) details. We also developed a cost model to investigate the present values of using two types of vehicle, given the identified fleet size. Results of using the different types of vehicles are then compared based on the given performance measures such as the quay crane net moves per hour and average total discharging/loading time at berth. Besides successfully identifying the optimal fleet size for each type of vehicle, simulation results reveal two findings: first, even when not utilising their ability to pick up/drop off containers, the IAVs still have similar efficacy to regular trucks thanks to their better maneuverability. Second, enabling IAVs’ ability to pick up/drop off containers significantly improves the port performance. Given the best configuration and fleet size as identified by the simulation, we use the developed cost model to estimate the total cost needed for each type of vehicle to meet the performance target. Finally, we study the performance of the case study port with advanced real-time vehicle dispatching/scheduling and container placement strategies. This study reveals that the case study port can greatly benefit from upgrading its current vehicle dispatching/scheduling strategy to a more advanced one.