Capacity Planning and Investment for Electrification of Maritime Container Ports

Container ports face the decision of investment into a variety of emerging technologies, including electric vehicles, autonomous equipment, and hydrogen-based power. This research paper presents a simulation-based optimization study of a port using simulation software to reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiency of operations of a maritime container port. Through capacity planning and electrification modeling, the port was provided with recommendations that will be used for 3-5 year-out planning focused on decreasing emissions and improving energy utilization. Research focused on reduction of operational emissions, existing simulations of ports, and emerging technologies including electric vehicles, liquid natural gas, hydrogen power. The methodology included modeling smaller sections of the port through simulation software. Use cases were extended to various forms of equipment and vehicles.Carbon emissions were also represented. These models allowed for the simulation of the effect of the changes in equipment and observation of resulting financial and time costs. Recommendations for the number of chargers and the number of additional vehicles to be purchased were also discussed. Use cases also allowed for the identification of beneficial expansion into electric vehicles according to fuel times and maintenance requirements, with consideration of financial constraints. Preliminary results revealed positive potential, both environmentally and economically, in regard to the transition towards electrification of heavy-duty port machinery and away from diesel-powered equipment. The findings of this study highlight the prospect of using simulation-based optimization to improve the sustainability of operations of the maritime container port and to reduce their overall carbon footprint.