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– In other words, a “decision set” that embodies the list of things necessary and critical
for a successful project
Business Case
Operations
Logistics
Equipment
Infrastructure
Traditional
Container Terminal Planning
.....
• MN “top-down” approach starts with the
client’s Business Plan
Business Goals
– Business case goals – “what is the client trying to
do?”
Cost Constraints
– Cost constraints
• Capital
Performance
• Operating
Operating
– Terminal performance criteria
Procedures
• Capacity
Systems &
• Productivity Equipment
– Operating procedures
Infrastructure
– Systems & Equipment
– Supporting Infrastructure
Bottom Line
Container Terminal Planning
.....
• As Planners and Engineers we have many tools in our toolbox:
– Operations analysis experience in all types of container terminals
– Container terminal planning, analysis and layout expertise
– Facilities design expertise
– Cost and financial models
– Facilities and equipment cost databases
– Scheduling software
– Spreadsheet analysis
– Simulation
• Vessel traffic
• Rail switching and congestion
• Highway traffic
• FlexTerm, a container terminal specific modeling tool
• Animations
Role of Simulation in
Container Terminal
..... Planning
– Facilities
Simulation used to prove that the
– Equipment system can meet performance
– Systems and integration goals
– Performance Goals
Simulation used to prove
• Capacity operating cost
• Productivity
• Operating Cost Simulation used to prove test
reliability and recovery strategies
• Reliability
Role of Simulation in
Container Terminal
..... Planning
Modeling Inputs
Real World • Arrival Rates Simulation
• Number of equipment
System • Process Times Model
•…
Modeling Outputs
Implemented • Throughput Proposed
• Utilizations
Improvement Plan • States Improvement Plan
•…
Our Simulation Tool: FlexTerm?
.....
• FlexTerm is mainly used for the logistic system simulation
modeling in ports and terminals.
Easy
Operate
Highly Flexible
Expandable Modeling
Excellent Lively 3D
Analytical Animation
Statistics
Main Benefits of FlexTerm
for Terminal
..... Planning
• Customer: BNSF
• Description: Simulated
the near-dock rail
facility that uses dual-
cantilever RMG to
unload and load
containers from trains
to trucks or buffer area,
and vice versa.
• Objectives: To verify
layout, evaluate
capacity, and determine
equipment needs.
McDuffie Coal Terminal
.....
• Customer: ASPA
• Description: Simulated the rail
traffic flow and the dumping
activities in the coal terminal that
has rail loop system serving two rail
operators with rapid growing coal
volumes.
• Objectives: Verify proposed
operation and layout will meet the
target throughput, determine the
throughput capacity, and identify
bottlenecks.
• Time: Aug. 2012 to Nov. 2012
20
Burnside Coal Terminal
.....
• Customer: Impala Warehousing
• Description: Simulated the bulk
terminal facility that transfer coals from
barges and trains to vessels.
• Objectives: Verify terminal
configuration and equipment sizing
such as stockyard capacity, train
unloader and ship loader productivities,
conveyor rate, etc., determine terminal
capacity and identify operation
bottlenecks.
• Time: Two Phases
– Phase I: July 2012 to Oct. 2012
21
What is Emulation
.....
• Emulation is not simulation.
• Emulation will involve real-world control
software such as TOS and (emulated)
equipment control system
– TOS is making decisions
• Create a virtual world to test real world
computer systems
• Interface needs to be
developed
Why Emulation?
.....
• TOS is important and expensive and risky
• Functional Testing
– Debugging TOS during the development stage of TOS
– Facilitating the development and proving interfaces works or between
TOS and Equipment Control System (ECS) before go live
• Performance Testing
– Prove TOS can reliably handle the designed workload before go live
– Fine tuning TOS and ECS performance after go live
– Testing alternative strategies before actually apply it to real terminal
operation