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Optimal Stack Layout Configurations at Automated Container Terminals Using Queuing Network Models

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Handbook of Terminal Planning

Part of the book series: Operations Research/Computer Science Interfaces Series ((ORCS))

Abstract

A well-designed stack layout is crucial for container terminals to maximize both the internal efficiency and the responsiveness to customers (such as vessels, trucks, and trains). One key performance indicator influencing both efficiency and responsiveness is the container seaside lead time for unloading a container from the vessel, transporting it to the stack area and storing it in a stack block, or vice versa, loading it in a vessel. The terminal performance depends not only on operational variables such as the location of the container in the stack, but also on design decisions, such as the type and the number of stacking cranes per stack, the type and number of internal transport vehicles, the layout of the stack (parallel or perpendicular to the quay), and the dimensions of the stack. In this chapter, we present an overview of analytical models that rely on queueing network theory, for analyzing stack layout decisions in automated container terminals and summarize the design and operational insights.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The whole container handling process is composed of seaside and landside processes. The seaside processes include the container handling at the quayside and internal transport between the quayside and the stackside, i.e., the container handover at the stack buffer lane position for storage in the stack, and container handling and retrieving on/from the storage positions within the stack area. The landside processes include the internal transport between the stack (i.e., the stack handover and/or storage positions and the landside terminal interfaces, i.e., truck gate, rail head, and barge berths) and container handling at the landside terminal interfaces (rail head and barge berths).

  2. 2.

    The parking location for a terminal vehicle is also known as the dwell point of the vehicle. A good choice of the dwell point can improve the terminal responsiveness by minimizing the time taken to reach the pick-up location after receiving a container transport request.

  3. 3.

    To ensure that the number of waiting containers do not grow continuously and the queues empty at times, the utilization of all resources should be strictly less than 100%.

  4. 4.

    The number of storage slot locations in the yard is kept constant to enable comparison among the layouts.

  5. 5.

    To ensure that the vehicles are utilized at least for a specific percent of time, a lower limit to the utilization is included.

  6. 6.

    In this approach, all queues are separated and analyzed in separation. Then the performance measure from each queue is aggregated to obtain the integrated performance measure for the seaside. Each queue is analyzed by using the first and second moment of the inter-arrival times and the service times, see Whitt (1983).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Production and Quantitative Methods Area, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Debjit Roy

  2. Department of Technology and Operations Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    René de Koster

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  1. Debjit Roy
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  2. René de Koster
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Correspondence to Debjit Roy .

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  1. Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Suderburg, Niedersachsen, Germany

    Jürgen W. Böse

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Roy, D., de Koster, R. (2020). Optimal Stack Layout Configurations at Automated Container Terminals Using Queuing Network Models. In: Böse, J.W. (eds) Handbook of Terminal Planning. Operations Research/Computer Science Interfaces Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39990-0_19

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