A framework for assessing resiliency of maritime transportation systems

Resiliency can be defined as the ability of the system to bounce back after a shock and return to its normal value delivery levels. In maritime transportation systems (MTS), manmade and natural disruptions reduce the capacity of ports to send and receive goods, which can result in significant negative socio-economic impacts. Implementing resiliency in these systems improves their ability to cope with disruptions hence minimising losses. This paper proposes several schemes that improve resiliency by reducing the system's vulnerability and increasing its adaptive capacity. The impact of the schemes on the system's resiliency metrics are evaluated by applying the methodology of the Networked Infrastructure Resiliency Assessment framework. The framework consists of three stages in which a network model is extracted from the physical network, the resiliency metrics are identified and the system is modelled using network optimisation techniques and a system dynamics model. The disruptions are modelled by reducing the capacity of a port to send and receive goods. Three MTS resiliency metrics are identified, namely tonnage resiliency, time resiliency and cost resiliency. The presented case study assesses resiliency schemes, such as Diversity, Collaboration and Resource Allocation on the three resiliency metrics.