SoftPort Introduction

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=55 BGCOLOR="#0099FF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I>SOFTPORT - Introduction</I></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=175 BGCOLOR="#3399CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What can be modelled?"><U><I>What can be modelled?</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interactive desktop"><U><I>Interactive Desktop</I></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div> The <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>SOFTPORT</B></I></FONT> analysis package is used for planning port infrastructure development with respect to shipping, dredging, berths, mechanical handling, roads & land transport links.  </div> <bR> <div> The model enables  planners to study the movement of cargo, shipping and land transport over an extended period which is usually one year.  All movements are simulated on a time step basis using units of one hour.</div> <bR> <div> A container terminal can handle up to 5m units per annum all of which will be simulated</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=393 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>                                                                                                                              </I></div> <div> <I><B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="682" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 148 WIDTH="330"><div> <I><B>SOFTPORT</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > is a computer simulation package for the planning of port infrastructure. It is not a ship simulation model. The model allows complex siulations to be rapidly analysed through a wide range of "what if" scenarios associated with the growth and development of port facilities. models a wide range of port operations. The program has been developed as an analytical tool to provide a </FONT><B>rapid analysis</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > of particular port configurations. This model philosophy is as follows:</FONT></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <I><IMG SRC="019302a0.png" border=0 width="48" height="42" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <IMG SRC="03e56540.png" border=0 width="342" height="84" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Import, export and transit cargoes can be modelled within the simulation</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A range of different cargo types are possible. (Up to 40 in the present version)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Vessel numbers, sizes and types can all be individually defined.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Types, sizes and numbers of land side transport are not limited</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Synthetic or real data can be used for port operations including transport arrivals, loading rates and departures</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Port operations data including holidays, daily working practices, weather and industrial downtime can be modelled.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">All operations can be modelled on a Monte Carlo basis if required</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Construction of a synthetic model is rapid</div> <bR> <div> The increasing complexity of port operations and the size of capital expenditure means that more sophisticated techniques must be introduced to safeguard commercial investment. <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>SOFTPORT</B></I></FONT>  allows a much wider array of parameters to be assessed in approximately the same time frame required to undertake a traditional statistical analysis. In this way operational<B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>efficiency, demurrage, congestion</B></FONT> and the over capacity of a particular port configuration can be identified and an infrastructure strategy developed to overcome port operational problems. This could include the construction of further berth, port storage, road or rail links. Other possibilities include increasing the capacity of quayside mechanical handling, dredging for approach channels or modifications to working practices. <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Historic data</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>can be used to <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>calibrate</B></FONT> the model and projected growth can be based upon synthetic data or projected traffic forecasts. The rate of increase in traffic and its effect on port, berth and storage congestion can be assessed from the simulations.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="781" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 244 WIDTH="333"><div> <I><B>SOFTPORT</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0099FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >contains a number of program elements:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A tidal prediction program. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A vessel building program including details of cargo, size, type, arrival time, draft and transit times</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A land transport building routine including details of cargo, size, type and arrival times</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">An approach channel building routine</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A berth building routine</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A tug building routine</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A Mechanical handling building routine for quayside and storage handling</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A storage building routine</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A timestep simulation</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A results handling program</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="03cbece0.png" border=0 width="446" height="206" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>                                       </div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=32 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What can be modelled?"><U><B><IMG SRC="0111b180.jpg" border=0 width="27" height="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="30"><B>  </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="23" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"><B>  </B><A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Meridian delta "><U><B><IMG SRC="0141b160.jpg" border=0 width="27" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>