PORT THROUGHPUT STUDY USING SIMULATION TECHNIQUE

This paper describes a technique that has been used to model a port handling mixed traffic, and to perform a throughput study of a dock facility in the port. For this study, General Purpose Simulation System (GPSS), an application-oriented digital computer simulation language was used. The simulation model took account of constraints in the port such as an approach channel of limited width and depth; one way traffic in channel; and weather and daylight limitations which varied in winter and summer. In addition to these constraints, variations in fleet composition of ships, and number and capacity of berths at the dock facility were included in the model. The simulation procedure is highly flexible. Almost any number of operational parameters and variable can be included in the simulation and the sensitivity of any of these variables on the throughput can be examined.