The design and development of an offshore port terminal is a complex task that involves distinctive design and decision challenges. In this paper, we propose the implementation of a floating, modular, platform that can act as an additional terminal of a port, with the aim of expanding its current container handling capacity. To this end, we introduce a generic methodology to tackle three aspects of an offshore terminal: terminal layout design, strategic logistics optimization, and operational process coordination. The terminal layout design includes the modular arrangements, handling on and between platform modules by the associated equipment. To select the final layout design concept, we evaluate different alternatives on criteria such as layout complexity, scalability, and the number of moves associated with the modular nature of the platform. Subsequently, the selected concept is given as input to a strategic logistics optimization approach that introduces a mixed-integer linear programming model. The proposed model minimizes the capital, operational, and maintenance costs of the floating modular terminal, i.e., number and size of modules, number and type of equipment, as well as capacities. In parallel, we develop a simulation of the floating terminal’s hinterland connections, where the number and type of required vessels are specified for relevant destinations and transport configurations. At the operational level, we focus on the coordination of handling equipment on the offshore platform by employing a tailored simulation/optimization approach. Our methodology is demonstrated on a case study that considers accommodating the growth of a port in the Hamburg-Le Havre range via the use of a modular, floating, transport, and logistics hub.

中文翻译：

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模块化浮动集装箱码头设计框架

海上港口码头的设计和开发是一项复杂的任务，涉及独特的设计和决策挑战。在本文中，我们建议实施一个浮动的、模块化的平台，该平台可以作为港口的附加码头，目的是扩大其现有的集装箱处理能力。为此，我们引入了一种通用方法来解决海上码头的三个方面：码头布局设计、战略物流优化和运营流程协调。终端布局设计包括模块化布置、相关设备在平台模块上和平台模块之间的处理。为了选择最终的布局设计概念，我们根据布局复杂性、可扩展性以及与平台模块化性质相关的移动次数等标准评估不同的替代方案。随后，选定的概念作为输入，引入了一个引入混合整数线性规划模型的战略物流优化方法。所提出的模型最大限度地降低了浮动模块化码头的资本、运营和维护成本，即模块的数量和大小、设备的数量和类型以及容量。同时，我们对浮动码头的腹地连接进行了模拟，其中为相关目的地和运输配置指定了所需船只的数量和类型。在操作层面，我们通过采用量身定制的模拟/优化方法，专注于海上平台上的搬运设备的协调。