Comparing generic and dedicated tools of discrete-event simulation for examining inland waterway transportation services

Many different software tools are available for discrete-event simulation in the context of logistics. These tools have usually been developed with a focus on a broad range of logistics applications, including production, assembly, material handling, human resources planning, or external transportation. Generally, these tools do not cover waterway transportation at all. Hence, the available solutions hardly offer any specialized features or functionality for the analysis of inland waterway transportation. The few tools focusing on inland waterway transportation are also not available for purchase. In view of the deeper integration of IWT in global logistics chains and, thus, the rising complexity of operations, DES tools have begun to be used for detailed analyses of various transport-related matters. Due to the lack of appropriate solutions in the market though, the decision-maker can only select between buying an existing generic software solution and adapting it to the specific requirements in order to simulate an inland waterway system or ‘making’ their own solution in the sense of developing a highly specialized proprietary simulation tool designed for the exclusive use in the designated application area. The resulting choice is rarely an easy decision, and the optimal route is often unclear. The process of creating a simulation model for inland waterways is a trade-off between the quality of results and the limit of resource expenditure. Furthermore, the scalability of the simulation needs to be assessed: for generic software, scalability may not be unlimited whereas it may not even be automatically given for a dedicated solution. This work compares generic and dedicated tools of discrete-event simulation for examining a decentralized waterborne container transportation service on the basis of a set of meaningful criteria. Both the simulation results and the model features are part of the comparative analysis. By extracting the benefits of both approaches and drawing a conclusion, this article aims at determining the quality of both approaches in examining a logistics problem. Additionally, their transferability to other similar problems and the usefulness of either approach is considered.