Quantifying Wide-Body Vessel Navigation Delay in Narrow Waterways: A Case Study at the Houston Ship Channel

Abstract

In narrow waterways, navigation restrictions are imposed on vessels based on beam and length to safely accommodate two-way traffic. Each transit in a narrow waterway can potentially generate delay for the rest of the vessels in the opposite direction. In this paper, first an algorithm is developed to model the two-way traffic with beam restrictions and to quantify delay due to such restrictions. Next, procedures are presented to determine parameters such as destination docks and vessel arrival and departure times based on the automatic identification system (AIS) and local pilot data. The models and the solution algorithms are applied on three restricted sections of the Houston Ship Channel, and the number of impacted vessels and total delays is presented for each section. The proposed model and solution algorithm can be used in many studies, such as expansion projects, vessel scheduling, and ordering optimization. To show the applicability of the model, a scheduling model is presented in the paper.