Turning Basins Impact on Travel Delay and Channel Occupancy Analysis for Deep-Draft Inland Waterways

Abstract Turning basins of a deep-draft inland waterway provide the essential space for big ships to stay and wait (e.g., for taking on bunkers) if their destination docks are unavailable. Such a stay-and-wait causes a serious delay and affects channel occupancy. This study aims to develop general methods for modeling the travel patterns with such stays in turning basins and then further investigate channel occupancy of different sections, including turning basins. Based on the AIS data collected from May 1 to July 15, 2022, these methods were implemented for the Sabine–Neches Waterway, a vital waterway serving southeast Texas. All AIS data were analyzed using a PostgreSQL database (version 9.0.11) and a GIS package, as well as coded in Python (version 3.11.9). The effectiveness of the proposed methods was demonstrated through implementation, revealing valuable insights into travel patterns, delays, and channel occupancy. The proposed methods can also be applied to other inland waterways with turning basins.