AGENT-BASED MODEL AND SIMULATIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT OF PORTS: THE IMPORT PROCESSES AT THE PORT OF GENOVA

This thesis addressed to use of Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) for the development and implementation of the import process of goods in a port that is suitably applied to help, plan, structure the development of the port model. The main goal of the modelling and implementation was to reach to fruition as more organized, fast and efficient complex logistics network, through development policies. To this purpose, I developed an agent-based model (ABM) of a port that is populated by the real main actors (stakeholders) whose are involved in the port activities such as maritime, customs, financial police etc. The model of the port simulates the actual port processes, i.e. acceptance of the goods, sending them, controlling of the legality, or not to import goods, the transportation planning etc. Agent-based models (ABMs) are being used in modelling in economies as complex systems that is a relatively recent approach in economies [62]. It has increasingly been attracting many scholars belonging to several sub-fields, becoming both a complement and a substitute for more traditional economic-modeling methodologies [62]. We can mention that ABMs are considered as a valid and effective competitor of standard Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models in macroeconomics [26]. The main advantages of using ABMs arrive two main additional values if we compare it with its equivalent systems. ABM provides more descriptive richness, as they characterize ecologies of agents, locally interacting through non-obvious network structures, learning using incomplete information, and competing within imperfect markets. Second, the modeler developing an ABM has typically more flexibility in both input and output validation of its model [34]. Ports have an integral role of our economy, they are strategic places of exchange, and especially over the last few decades and with the phenomenon of globalization, the ports are a reality in continuous movement and growth. Therefore, they are operating places of extreme complexity, especially in their logistics functions of transport management. The thesis discusses the business process is implemented for developing a computer supported management tool to handle the port activities flow. The tool is designed for the integration in a virtual infrastructure that allows an advanced operational management of port traffics. By modelling the time documentation according to the specification of the Genoa case, the business case of the port of Genoa is tested. Results show that the mechanism implemented simulates the actual process. Moreover some bottleneck are discovered, such as delays to the handling of the containers and queues formation due to missing documentation or documentation with errors or not ready.