Assessing capacity and improving utilization of anchorages

Abstract

Anchorages are important resources for certain hub ports, and they are increasingly in demand during peak periods. We evaluate the capacity of multiple anchorages by reproducing realistic mix of arriving vessels, dwelling time and the current practices in choosing anchoring spots within an anchorage. The model is validated by using historical data. We also propose methods for improving space utilization of anchorages. Our experiments with four real anchorages show that the space utilization is improved by 6–10% with MHDF and WALLPACK_MHDF algorithms. This finding opens up possibilities of designating vessel anchoring spots for improved utilizations in the future.

Keywords: Decision support system; Anchorage capacity; Disc packing algorithms