Simulation of Tugboat and Barge Operations for Manmade AIrport Peninsula Undersea Land Reclamation

During construction of a manmade extension peninsula for an airport, barges bring fill material for undersea land reclamation to three unloading berths located inside a specially built harbor. Arriving barges must use the services of a tugboat to enter the narrow channel to the harbor, to dock at the berths to unload, and to exit back to open sea at the end of unloading. Tugboat operations are interrupted by other marine vessels required for construction that also make use of the narrow channel. Construction alternatives being investigated by the contractor include hiring a subcontractor to provide additional materials with its own barges and the use of GPS equipment on all vessels to optimize the required travel of the tugboat from the berths to the narrow channel and back to the berths when traveling without a barge and its services are required elsewhere. STROBOSCOPE simulation models and their animation for investigating these alternatives are presented and described in detail to illustrate how dynamic information made available during simulation can be used to interrupt ongoing activities and reallocate resources as needed to implement these operational policies.