A simulation study of military cargo clearance times

In military deployments, the aerial- or seaport of debarkation (APOD/SPOD) is typically the most constraining part of the military transportation system. Analytical efforts to suggest improvements in throughput tend to focus on infrastructure solutions (berth space, number of cranes, staging area, etc.). However, the Army's new, more roadable and mobile transformed forces should have some positive effect on port clearance. Employing experimental design using a stochastic simulation model of port activity, Mike Cochrane investigated the relative importance of SPOD resources and infrastructure, as well as the mobility characteristics of the deploying force. His results suggest that at least as much emphasis be placed on designing forces for improved self-deployability as is placed on strategic lift or deployment infrastructure.