Khaled MILI

This thesis presents results of a research designed to evaluate the potential for improving productivity for a straddle carrier operation at an intermodal container port terminal. Straddle carrier is a specialized vehicle for handling containers. It removes the container from a truck-tractor chassis by straddling the chassis, lifting the container using an overhead crane to the desired height (up to four times the container’s height), and drives away with the container in its belly. A methodology was developed to quantify possible savings from redesigning the straddle operation. The main effort was to develop and evaluate a series of algorithms for straddle assignment and control. The algorithms differ in a manner in which the straddles are given assignments to move containers. The algorithms are applied to a case study representing the operation of a major port terminal in the port of Radès in Tunisia. The case study results indicate that the use of the proposed algorithms would result in a substantial reduction (in the 20- 30% range) in the straddle distance over the current operation. The model shows that the operator can substantially reduce its fleet ownership and maintenance costs by using fewer straddles while maintaining a desired service for truck driver and ship-owner. The annual cost savings were conservatively estimated to be in the 997,000 DT to 1,970,000 DT range. These savings would increase to higher range if the operator were to sell the surplus straddles and invest proceeds from the sale at an interest rate of 10 %. KEY WORDS: Container Port Operations, Intermodal Transportation, Straddle Carrier, Port Productivity.