Using simulation to study the impact of work rules on productivity at marine container terminals

In this paper, the authors describe a simulation program that models the transfer of containerized cargo to and from ships. Container port operations are extremely important from an economic standpoint, making them a prime target for productivity improvements. They are also inherently very complex since they are at the center of two or more modes of transportation, involve the interaction of several organizations and support groups, and rely on a variety of stochastic processes. The simulation program allows the operator to specify a wide variety of parameters and the manner in which the simulation is to be executed. The major focus of the paper is on the impact of work crew schedules on container port productivity.