Increasing the operational efficiency of container terminals in Australia

This paper discusses the major factors influencing the transfer efficiency of rail container terminals, as measured by the throughput time of containers. An analytically based simulation model is designed to describe container progress in the system. Cyclic heuristic rules for equipment assignment are applied and a new heuristic rule is developed to dispatch trains to tracks. The simulation model combined with the heuristic rules is used to address a number of specific objectives of the study. Different performance measures are applied and the impact that the train-to-track despatching and the handling equipment assignment can have on the measures is established. Validation and testing of models make use of data from Acacia Ridge Terminal, Brisbane, Australia.