Evaluation of port manoeuvring efficiency using Data Envelopment Analysis

This paper describes how to apply an operational research method to measure the efficiency of port regulations and sailors best-practices during the berthing and departure of vessels. The proposed method is the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), a non-parametric algorithm for measuring the efficiency of decision-making units. The DEA is applied to estimating the efficiency of navigation rules used by vessels while anchoring at the roads of the port of Augusta (Italy). Three different definitions of efficiency are used, according to the output quantity to maximise: (1) inverse of time taken to complete the route, (2) route safety, (3) a combination of the two. The vessels' manoeuvres efficiency is estimated by considering several input dimensions such as boat engine, weather and sea conditions, crew experience, distance travelled and energy consumed.