Optimal Control of Resource Allocations in Maritime Port Operations Using Queue Models

The main function of maritime container terminal operations is to allow transfer of containers between ships and other types of transportation, such as trucks or trains. These transfer operations are often modelled as dynamic discrete-time system of queues, which are controlled by a set of input variables that relate to the available resources. These variables are functions of the capacities of the equipment that is employed to handle the containers in the terminal. In the present study, an optimal control method is proposed that focuses on the effective allocation of such resources in a maritime container terminal. Therefore, a dynamic discrete-time queue model for container terminal operations is introduced and represented in formal manner. Based on this model, the resource allocation is formulated as an optimisation problem. The obtained simulation result for an abstract container terminal indicate that the proposed optimal control mechanism for resources allocation allows managing maritime terminal operations more effectively.