The impact of AGV application on port operating efficiency

Abstract

This paper analyses the application of Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) in ports and evaluates the 20 ports' efficiency with the consideration of AGV application. Using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method and the simulated data, this paper further identifies the optimal number of AGVs for these 20 ports. The DEA-CCR and DEA-BCC results show that most of these 20 ports are already efficient. And Ningbo port, Osaka port, and Hamburg port are the most efficient port as they obtained the highest scores in super-efficiency analysis. But using the simulation data, the result suggests that some ports, such as Busan Port and Antwerp Port, are able to improve their efficiency by adjusting the application of AGV. The finding of this paper suggests that existing automated port can improve their economic efficiency by reducing the number of AGVs, or enhancing their service efficiency by increasing the application of AGVs. But for traditional ports, expanding the application of AGV can increase both port economic and service efficiency.