Delft University of Technology
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering Transport Technology / Logistic Engineering
J.E.A.M.T. van Oerle Simulation of the European transport network of Nedlloyd Fashion Services. Masters thesis, Report 98.3.LT.5043, Transport Technology, Logistic Engineering.
Nedlloyd Fashion Services (NFS) is, together with six companies in different European countries, one of the most important players in the European network of clothing transport named Faxion. The individual participants have at their disposal a fine-meshed distribution organisation in their own country and they are mutual connected through, mostly bilateral, trunk lines.
The objective of this project is to make a simulation model, which makes it possible to judge different transport scenario's in a reasonably simple way in order to optimise the European transport network of Nedlloyd Fashion Services.
Because of the special character of the transportation of clothing, which is reflected in the sensitivity to seasons and also an unbalance between export and import flows, it is necessary to ride certain routes with a low loading factor or to seek for ad hoc (sub-) optimal solutions.
First an analysis was done on the existing network of Nedlloyd Fashion Service. Then literature was investigated for information on optimisation algorithms. After that the simulation model was built in Delphi 3.0. The simulation model makes it possible to compare the results of costs, number of trucks needed, distances travelled and level of services of different scenarios. The data used for simulation was from 1997. From the results of this model the (operations) managers can define more easily what the new planning is for the next month or season.
The analysis, simulation and building of the model led to a number of conclusions and recommendations. The conclusions are: The simulation model is suitable for providing a better insight in the European transport network of Nedlloyd Fashion Services. The verification and validation of the model have shown that the simulation model works as it is supposed to work.
The performance indicators costs, the distances travelled, the level of service and the number of trucks needed supply us with enough information to judge a scenario properly and to compare them with eachother.
A new planning for each season will give better results than one for a whole year with just some adjustments in the number of trucks for low season.
More detailed and standardised figures will give better results. The data in the model can be easily adjusted.
The recommendations are the following: The partners should be convinced.
The simulation model should be extended to an optimisation model.
The opening times of the hub should be taken into account and also the hub handling costs. The driving limits and holiday bans should be implemented in the model.
A record should be kept on how much time the shipments spend on the gateways and the hub. The data should be verified and updated.
The possibility to run through more than one hub or gateway should be inserted in the simulation model. Data from the partners should also be detailed and standardised.
It is recommended to develop a user interface to make the model more user-friendly. A thorough investigation should also be done for other transport modes.
Reports on Logistic Engineering (in Dutch)
