Simulation of fruit pallet movement in the port of Durban: A case study

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of a discrete-event simulation study that was performed on pallet movement at Fresh Produce Terminals in the port of Durban, South Africa. The study formed part of an extended study of the logistics infrastructure of the South African fresh fruit industry and its export supply chain. The focus in this paper is on pallet movement in the terminal and its requirement on the storage capacity of the cold store facility. Specifics pertaining to input data analysis are provided, as well as a discussion of simulation model validation and output data analysis.

Key words: Discrete-event simulation, pallet movement, logistics infrastructure.

ORiON Vol.21(1) 2005: 63-75