Graduation project: KOTUG OptiPort

KOTUG is an international maritime company active in towage and other maritime services. Within
KOTUG, KOTUG OptiPort develops software for analysing, planning and optimizing maritime
operations. One of its applications is towage planning: determining which tugs should perform
which jobs, at what time and in which sequence.

Problem Description
The research question is inverse to the usual planning problem. In classical scheduling the
constraints are given and the optimal solution is sought; here the executed operations are
observed and the constraints must be recovered. The following rule families could be in scope as
targets for discovery:
• Number of tugs required as a function of vessel class, cargo type and condition
• Minimum bollard pull and tug capability requirements per operation type
• Tug position and role within a towage, and which tugs perform which role
• Tidal and current windows constraining when an operation can take place
• Weather and visibility limits under which operations are suspended or escalated
• Terminal, berth and operator restrictions, including exclusivity or business rules
• Crew-related timing patterns such as shift boundaries, crew change locations and rest
periods

Guidance and support
You will be part of the OptiPort team, based in Rotterdam. During the project, the team will
provide guidance and support throughout all stages of your thesis from defining the research
problem and accessing data, to developing models and interpreting results. The OptiPort team is
available to discuss ideas, answer questions, and help you find practical solutions. Support is
provided by a multidisciplinary team, including:
• A team member with a background in Econometrics (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
• A team member specialized in Data Science in Transport, Infrastructure & Logistics (TU
Delft)
• Software developers with a background in optimization and AI

Contact details:
Email: m.poppe@kotug.com