Optimization of Container Terminal Operations Using Response Surface Methodology

Container terminals are essential for handling the growing container traffic resulting from global trade. Operation managers must either increase the number of handling components or improve the efficiency of existing equipment to meet the increasing demand. This paper employs the response surface methodology to obtain the optimal number of yard trucks (YTs) and rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes. First, a two-level full factorial design was employed to fit first-order regression models and assess the effects of the variables. Then, the second-order models were constructed with a central composite design to further explore the influence of key parameters on the response variables. The Derringer-Suich method was applied to identify the optimal levels of performance criteria such as operation time and cost. According to the implementation results, the average operation time was reduced from 303.25 minutes to 286.25 minutes, reflecting a 5.6 % improvement in operational efficiency. Furthermore, the total operating costs decreased by $315.72, from $2,331.59 to $2,015.87. This 13.5 % improvement highlights the operational cost advantages achieved by optimizing resources.