Universal simulation model of cruise and ferry ships flow to a sea passenger port

This research focuses on developing a simulation model to determine an optimal method for distributing the incoming flow of cruise and ferry vessels within a passenger seaport or terminal system. The study presents a new software tool that, based on flexible interface configuration, can be applied to various maritime passenger terminals with multi-scenario modeling capabilities, aimed at refining the technological design methods of maritime passenger ports and terminals. It is noted that deterministic models used to calculate berth capacity or the required number of berths do not fully account for the dynamic parameters of the external environment, which limits their applicability and necessitates the use of simulation methods. The research highlights that, alongside the main parameters of expected annual passenger traffic and the number of cruise ships, the structure of the vessel flow is a key issue. The article proposes a model for prioritizing service to incoming cruise ships and ferry boats and considers the possibility of analyzing random flows of ships entering ports with both low and high priority applications in queues. Based on the implementation of multi-scenario simulation in a developed digital twin using new software, it has been possible to generate a large dataset for subsequent decision-making under uncertainty regarding the strategic development of maritime passenger ports in the sea region and methods for attracting new cruise lines.