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Marine log supply : a transport engineering analysis

University of British Columbia

This thesis investigates the marine transport-inventory system of Coastal British Columbia. The intrinsic characteristics of marine log transportation in this region are the vulnerability of marine transportation to adverse weather conditions and the presence of time-related economic costs. The system is confined to the Powell River operation. Three origins, one storage area and three pulp log types are considered. The formulated problem is classified as a sequential decision-making process. A deterministic model using the network flow theory and a simulation model using GPSS are developed. Due to considerable uncertainty in the system operation, the computer simulation model is selected. The model includes all of the important system variables and their interactions and assesses alternative operational doctrines by calculating variation in a key aspect of system performance, total logistic cost. It is found that: 1) the use of barges as the transportation mode leads to the least logistic cost, 2) the second best transportation alternative is the direct shipment of logs from origins to the mill and 3) if higher value saw log is considered, the log-taxi alternative may become attractive. However, to improve the capability of the developed model, more information on the salt contamination and teredo damage and accurate estimation of cost consequences of a mill shutdown are required. Future works should focus on these areas.

Text

2010-08-06

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/27117

Civil Engineering

University of British Columbia

Graduate