Title: Analysis of the operations of an intermodal barge terminal

Authors: Lotte Verdonck; An Caris; Katrien Ramaekers; Gerrit K. Janssens

Addresses: Research Group Logistics, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan – Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000 Brussel, Belgium ' Research Group Logistics, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan – Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000 Brussel, Belgium ' Research Group Logistics, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan – Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium ' Research Group Logistics, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan – Building D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium

Abstract: This paper studies the operations of intermodal barge terminals. The objective is to increase the terminal's efficiency by supporting the operational planning of the terminal operator. For this purpose, a review on general and process-specific barge terminal planning problems, discussed in current scientific literature, is provided. This theoretical knowledge is validated in practice by means of a comparison with operational planning realities at Haven Genk, a Belgian trimodal terminal. Finally, simulation studies based on Haven Genk data are performed to investigate whether vessel size and number of vessels in use have an impact on barge terminal efficiency.

Keywords: barge terminals; operational planning; discrete event simulation; DES; intermodal transport; Belgium; simulation; vessel size; vessel numbers; barge terminal efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2014.061428

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2014 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.3 - 15

Received: 13 Dec 2012
Accepted: 04 Sep 2013
Published online: 11 Oct 2014 *

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