Simulation model of oil products transshipment in a seaport

Abstract

The paper considers the problem of finding an optimal strategy for ordering railway tank cars for the export of oil products from the seaport terminal. Since the arrival of the ordered wagons is a random process that substantially impacts the costs of the cargo owner, it was decided to use the simulation modeling method to solve the problem. The paper provides an overview of methods and specific examples of simulation modeling for solving related problems in transport logistics. Particular attention is paid to the experience of using spreadsheets in the practice of simulation modeling. It is noted that a spreadsheet as a modeling tool has certain advantages over special packages for simulation modeling. The paper substantiates the decision to use the VBA language in the MS Excel environment to develop a model for the transshipment of oil products at the terminal in the seaport. The following details describe the stage of conceptual modeling, the stage of data preparation using distributions of random variables, and conducting experiments with the model. Five possible scenarios were investigated, which differ in the boundary conditions of the processes of the arrival of empty cars at the terminal. Based on the results of the study of these scenarios using statistical modeling methods, the requirements were developed that the cargo owner must impose on the railway in order to minimize the costs arising both from the delay of the vessel in the port and the idle time of wagons on the terminal territory.

Key words: Oil Products Transshipment, Marine Oil Terminal, Simulation, Spreadsheet.