BetCoB - Logistic Operating Curves for Ship-to-Shore Cranes
The aim of the DFG research project is to develop logistic operating curves for ship-to-shore cranes (STS cranes) and the terminal trucks used in horizontal transport. For this purpose, the project will model the interdependencies between the target variables of the container terminal and their main influencing variables on the one hand. On the other hand, based on these interdependencies, suitable procedures for designing the number of terminal trucks and for the important task of allocating transport orders to terminal trucks will be developed and varied.
The project will be implemented in an interdisciplinary way in cooperation with the Institute of Production Management and Technology (IPMT) and the Institute of Maritime Logistics (MLS).
| Project duration | 01.12.2023 – 30.11.2025 |
| Project funding | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) |
| Our status | Responsible DFG reseach institute |
| Contact person | Svenja Witte |
| Project partners | Involved institutes at the TUHH: |
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Description
Container terminals are important hubs in international transportation, linking land and water transport. To remain competitive, the operations in a container terminal must be carefully coordinated and controlled. In particular, the STS cranes used for loading and unloading container ships must operate efficiently to ensure high productivity.
The operational planning of the STS crane affects the handling times of a container ship and the number of crane and container movements achieved per hour. If the STS crane gets bogged down, it also has consequences for the processes in the storage area. Terminal trucks are needed to transport containers between the quay and the block storage area. If the deployment of the terminal trucks is insufficiently coordinated, it leads to longer idle times at the STS crane and extended ship berthing times. To optimize the seaside productivity of the container terminal, all these interrelationships need to be considered comprehensively.
The DFG research project focuses on developing logistic operating curves for STS cranes and validating them in a simulation environment to achieve high productivity and short turnaround times for container ships.
The work plan provides for the following:
1. Recording reference processes at container terminals and deriving basic definitions of time components, influencing factors, control variables, and target variables,
2. Modeling logistic operating curves and basic interdependencies for container terminals,
3. Deriving a procedure for the design of transport capacity and order allocation,
4. Evaluating derived logistic operating curve models and procedures for order assignment by extending the simulation model.
The modeling to be developed in the DFG research project is to illustrate the conflicting goals in a simple and clear manner. Based on this, a procedure for a model-based design and order assignment for container terminals will be developed.
This research project "Logistic Operating Curves for Ship-to-Shore Cranes" is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - project no. 508626914.
Presentations and Workshops (Excerpt)
- 27.09.2024, Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL): "Logistic Operating Curves for Ship-to-Shore Cranes", Florian Möhle, Svenja Koch, Carlos Jahn, Hermann Lödding
Publications
| [192060] |
| Title: Modelling of Logistics Objectives at the Sea Side of Container Terminals. <em>Advances in Production Management Systems. Cyber-Physical-Human Production Systems: Human-AI Collaboration and Beyond</em> |
| Written by: Möhle, Florian and Koch, Svenja and Jahn, Carlos and Lödding, Hermann |
| in: <em>44. IFIP WG 5.7 International Conference on Advances in Production Management Systems, APMS 2025</em>. (2025). |
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| on pages: 249--263 |
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| Editor: In Mizuyama, Hajime and Morinaga, Eiji and Nonaka, Tomomi and Kaihara, Toshiya and von Cieminski, Gregor and Romero, David (Eds.) |
| Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland: |
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| ISBN: 978-3-032-03550-9 |
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| DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-03550-9_17 |
| URL: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-03550-9_17 |
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Note: BetCoB
Abstract: In the context of the expanding global economy, the significance of transport chains has been increasingly recognized, with container terminals assuming a pivotal role within these networks. The competitive environment has led to pressure on these terminals, giving rise to a conflict of logistical objectives such as short vessel handling times and minimized handling costs. Previous attempts to address this issue, including simulation studies and deterministic mathematical models, have yet to be effectively implemented in practical settings due to their sensitivity to parameters and inherent complexity. This study proposes a novel engineering-centred approach utilizing Logistic Operating Curves to model terminal objectives, with a particular emphasis on quayside operations such as container handling by ship-to-shore cranes and terminal trucks. The paper explores the derivation of ideal and real Logistic Operating Curves for ship-to-shore cranes. Therefore, the well-known Kingman equation is extended to map the special characteristics of a closed queueing system. The simulation experiments conducted demonstrate that the proposed model provides sufficient accuracy in predicting mean productivities. The study concludes that the Logistic Operating Curves framework serves as an effective, understandable and adaptable method for improving terminal operations and highlights areas for further research.