Terminal, management system, and management method

Abstract

Provided are a terminal, a management system, and a management method which can suppress cargo handling efficiency from decreasing. After satisfying a constraint condition that the cargo handling efficiency, which is indicated by a plurality of pieces of cargo handing data from the initiation to termination of cargo handling work, is not below the reference, the present invention: executes a data process for creating a work schedule for each of a plurality of cargo handling apparatuses, the work schedule incorporating a plurality of cargo handling times during which the allocated cargo handling, which is indicated by the plurality of pieces of cargo handling data, is executed, and spare times during which the cargo handling work is not executed between the plurality of cargo handling times; and sets supply work for supplying a hydrogen gas from a supplying apparatus to the cargo handing apparatuses in at least one of the plurality of spare times.

Description

Terminal and management system and management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a terminal having cargo handling equipment that uses hydrogen gas as fuel, and a management system and management method for managing this cargo handling equipment, and more particularly to a terminal, management system, and management method that can suppress a decline in cargo handling efficiency.

[0002] Various container terminals that reduce carbon dioxide emissions have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses the configuration of a gantry crane that operates by receiving electricity from a contact wire laid in the container terminal. By electrifying cargo handling equipment such as gantry cranes, carbon dioxide emissions at the container terminal can be reduced.

[0003] When laying contact wires at existing container terminals, problems arose that prevented cargo handling operations for long periods of time. On the other hand, studies are being conducted to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by switching to hydrogen gas as fuel for gantry cranes.

[0004] Because hydrogen gas has a lower calorie content per volume than diesel, there is a possibility that gantry cranes may run out of fuel during loading and unloading operations. Also, gantry cranes require more frequent refueling with hydrogen gas than diesel. Changing the gantry crane fuel to hydrogen gas could potentially reduce loading and unloading efficiency at container terminals.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-137494

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to provide a terminal, a management system, and a management method that can suppress a decline in cargo handling efficiency.

[0007] A terminal for achieving the above-mentioned objective comprises a plurality of cargo handling equipment fueled by hydrogen gas, a supply device that supplies hydrogen gas to the cargo handling equipment, and a management system that assigns a plurality of cargo handling work data from a plurality of cargo handling work data to each of the cargo handling equipment, wherein the management system performs data processing to create a work schedule for each of the plurality of cargo handling equipment, the work schedule incorporating a plurality of cargo handling work times for performing the cargo handling work indicated by the assigned plurality of cargo handling work data and gap times between those plurality of cargo handling work times when no cargo handling work is performed, while satisfying the constraint that the cargo handling efficiency from the start to the end of the cargo handling work indicated by the plurality of cargo handling work data does not fall below a standard, and is characterized by having a configuration in which supply work to supply hydrogen gas from the supply device to the cargo handling equipment is set for at least one of the gap times.

[0008] A management system for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a management system that assigns multiple loading and unloading work data from a large number of loading and unloading work data to multiple loading and unloading equipment that uses hydrogen gas as fuel, and is characterized by the following configuration: the management system performs data processing to create a work schedule for each of the multiple loading and unloading equipment, which includes multiple loading and unloading work times for performing the loading and unloading work indicated by the assigned multiple loading and unloading work data and gap times between those multiple loading and unloading work times when no loading and unloading work is performed, while satisfying the constraint that the loading and unloading efficiency from the start to the end of the loading and unloading work indicated by the large number of loading and unloading work data does not fall below a standard; and the management system is configured to set up supply work to supply hydrogen gas from a supply device to the loading and unloading equipment during at least one of the multiple gap times.

[0009] A management method for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a management method in which a plurality of loading and unloading work data from a large number of loading and unloading work data are assigned to a plurality of loading and unloading equipment fueled by hydrogen gas, and the method satisfies the constraint that the loading and unloading efficiency from the start to the end of the loading and unloading work indicated by the large number of loading and unloading work data does not fall below a standard, and the method performs data processing to create a work schedule for each of the plurality of loading and unloading equipment that incorporates a plurality of loading and unloading work times for performing the loading and unloading work indicated by the assigned plurality of loading and unloading work data and gap times between those plurality of loading and unloading work times when no loading and unloading work is performed, and is characterized by having a configuration in which supply work is set to supply hydrogen gas from a supply device to the loading and unloading equipment during at least one of the gap times.

[0010] According to the present invention, fuel supply operations can be performed during gap times when loading and unloading equipment is not performing loading and unloading operations. Since the timing of the supply operations is determined in advance, preparations for the supply operations can be made in advance. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in loading and unloading efficiency.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of a terminal. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a management system. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a data processing flow in the management system. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a large amount of cargo handling operation data. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a work schedule for a gantry crane. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modified example of the flow of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a situation in which a container is handled by a gantry crane. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating data processed in an estimation step. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a work schedule for a gantry crane. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a work schedule for a gantry crane different from that of FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of mobile supply equipment. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a work schedule for mobile supply equipment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a work schedule for an on-site chassis.

[0012] The terminal, management system, and management method will be described below based on the embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , a terminal 1 includes a plurality of storage lanes 3 on which containers 2 are stored, and a quay 5 to which container ships 4 dock. The containers 2 are loaded and unloaded by cargo handling equipment 6. The cargo handling equipment 6 includes, for example, a quay crane 6a disposed on the quay 5, a gantry crane 6b traveling along the storage lanes 3, and an on-site chassis 6c traveling within the terminal 1. In this specification, the cargo handling equipment 6 is not limited to the above, and may be any equipment used for cargo handling, and the concept also includes, for example, a straddle carrier, a forklift, a top lifter, and a reach stacker. The cargo handling equipment 6 may be manned cargo handling equipment 6 operated directly or remotely by an operator, or may be unmanned cargo handling equipment 6 controlled by automatic control.

[0014] The multiple cargo handling equipment 6 are configured to operate using hydrogen gas as fuel. The cargo handling equipment 6 includes, for example, a fuel cell, or a mechanism that combines a hydrogen engine with a generator. In the terminal 1, not all of the cargo handling equipment 6 is necessarily fueled by hydrogen gas. Some of the cargo handling equipment 6 may be configured to operate using electricity supplied from a power supply cable, while other cargo handling equipment 6 operates using hydrogen gas as fuel.

[0015] The terminal 1 comprises an administration building 7 and a gate 9 that controls the entry and exit of incoming chassis 8. The administration building 7 is equipped with a management system 10 that controls the work schedule of the cargo handling equipment 6. For the sake of explanation, the management system 10 is shown by a dashed line in Figure 1.

[0016] The terminal 1 is equipped with a plurality of supply devices 11 that supply hydrogen gas to the cargo handling equipment 6. The supply devices 11 are, for example, mobile supply devices 11a that have vehicles equipped with hydrogen tanks. The mobile supply devices 11a can move to the vicinity of the cargo handling equipment 6 to supply hydrogen gas. The supply devices 11 may also be, for example, fixed supply devices 11b that have a dispenser and a hydrogen tank fixed to the ground surface. The fixed supply devices 11b can supply hydrogen gas to the cargo handling equipment 6 that has moved there.

[0017] The terminal 1 of the present invention is not limited to a container terminal, and may include a quay for shipping products from a steel mill or the like, or a quay for bulk cargo such as coal.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the management system 10 can be configured with various known computers. The management system 10 has a central processing unit (CPU) 12, a main storage unit (memory) 13, an auxiliary storage unit (e.g., HDD) 14, an input unit (keyboard 15, mouse), and an output unit (display 16, printer). A conventional management system can be used as the management system 10 of the present invention by adding functions to it or modifying the program.

[0019] The processing performed by the management system 10 will be described with reference to the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 3 . The following description will be given taking the case where the cargo-handling equipment 6 is a gantry crane 6b as an example. When the management system 10 starts processing (START), a large amount of cargo-handling operation data is first read in a reading step S1. Specifically, the cargo-handling operation data is read from the auxiliary memory unit 14 to the main memory unit 13. The cargo-handling operation data may be created by the management system 10 based on the scheduled arrival and departure dates of transport equipment such as the container ship 4 and the external chassis 8, and the scheduled number of cargoes to be loaded and unloaded from storage facilities such as the storage lane 3. In this case, the scheduled arrival and departure dates of the transport equipment are read from the auxiliary memory unit 14 to the main memory unit 13 in the reading step S1, and the main memory unit 13 and the central processing unit 12 create the cargo-handling operation data.

[0020] 4, the cargo handling work data includes the container number of the container 2 that is the object of the cargo handling work, the position of the container 2 in the storage lane 3, the work content, etc. The cargo handling work data may also include the name of the work item, such as 1, 2, etc.

[0021] For example, in work item name 1, the gantry crane 6b carries out the container 2 with XXXU1234567 in a 3-lane, 2-column, 5-row, 3-tier configuration to the imported chassis 8. In work item name 2, the gantry crane 6b carries in the container 2 with YYYU2345679 from the imported chassis 8 in a 5-lane, 3-column, 4-row, 5-tier configuration. The position of the container 2 is specified by the position in the traveling direction of the gantry crane 6b being the column, the position in the lateral direction that crosses the traveling direction at a right angle being the row, and the position in the vertical direction being the row.

[0022] In allocation step S2, a large number of cargo handling work data are allocated to each piece of cargo handling equipment 6. For example, cargo handling work data for work item name 1 is allocated to a gantry crane 6b that performs cargo handling work with three lanes, and cargo handling work for work item name 2 is allocated to a gantry crane 6b that performs cargo handling work with five lanes. Similarly, when the cargo handling equipment 6 is made up of on-site chassis 6c, multiple pieces of cargo handling work data are allocated to each on-site chassis 6c.

[0023] In creation step S3, a work schedule is created for each piece of cargo handling equipment 6. The management system 10 executes data processing to create a work schedule for each piece of cargo handling equipment 6, combining multiple cargo handling work times for performing the cargo handling work indicated by the multiple cargo handling work data with gap times between the cargo handling work times when no cargo handling work is performed, while satisfying the constraint that the cargo handling efficiency from the start to the end of the cargo handling work indicated by the multiple cargo handling work data does not fall below a standard. The method for creating the work schedule in creation step S3 may use an existing method. In this case, the method differs from conventional methods in that it creates a work schedule that combines not only the cargo handling work times but also the gap times.

[0024] The standard for cargo handling efficiency can be set arbitrarily. This standard should be able to eliminate work schedules that clearly result in reduced cargo handling efficiency. Constraints may be set to maximize the number of bags that can be processed at terminal 1, to minimize delays in the completion times of multiple cargo handling operations, or to minimize the impact on reduced cargo handling efficiency. In mathematical programming problems (optimization problems), these are conditions that must be satisfied by the solution, and can limit the calculations performed by management system 10.

[0025] The cargo handling efficiency can be evaluated by the number of cargoes such as containers 2 that can be handled per unit time, or the amount of fuel consumed per unit time.

[0026] The work schedule can be created using a machine learning predictive model or mathematical optimization. A work schedule may be created by predicting the amount of fuel consumed for each of a large number of cargo handling operation data sets, and then using a predictive model generated by machine learning based on the scheduled execution times of the large number of cargo handling operations and the predicted fuel consumption, multiple cargo handling operation times and gap times are set. Alternatively, a work schedule may be created by setting multiple cargo handling operation times and gap times using a predictive model generated by machine learning based on a large number of accumulated work schedules as training data and a large number of cargo handling operation data sets. Alternatively, a work schedule may be created by setting multiple cargo handling operation times and gap times using a large number of cargo handling operation data sets and an optimization algorithm. A large number of accumulated work schedules are used as training data. Machine learning only needs to be conditional. Because this is also an optimization problem, steepest descent, genetic algorithms, Bayesian optimization, etc. may be used instead of a predictive model.

[0027] In the setting step S4, at least one of the gap times set in the work schedule is selected, and a supply operation is set to supply hydrogen gas from the supply device 11 to the loading / unloading device 6 during this gap time. The creation step S3 and the setting step S4 may be executed simultaneously, and the supply operation may be set simultaneously when the loading / unloading operation time and the gap time are set.

[0028] In notification step S5, the created work schedule is notified to each of the cargo handling equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11. As shown in the example of Fig. 2, the management system 10 may be equipped with a communication device 17, and the work schedule may be notified to the cargo handling equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11 via this communication device 17. The cargo handling equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11 each have a device such as a communication device for receiving the work schedule from the management system 10.

[0029] As shown in the example of Figure 5, the work schedule created by the management system 10 includes gap times in addition to loading and unloading work times. This work schedule is for a gantry crane 6b that performs loading and unloading work in two lanes. In the embodiment shown in the example of Figure 5, a supply work R1 is set as one of the gap times. The loading and unloading work data corresponding to the supply work R1 may specify a position where the supply work is to be performed, such as five rows.

[0030] If the gantry crane 6b is a manned crane, a work schedule is displayed on the monitor of the gantry crane 6b. The operator performs the loading and unloading work while checking the work schedule. The loading and unloading work is performed in order, for example, from top to bottom of the work schedule.

[0031] A work schedule that satisfies the constraint that loading and unloading efficiency does not fall below a standard incorporates gap times during which no loading and unloading work is performed. This gap time can be used to perform supply work to supply hydrogen gas to the loading and unloading equipment 6. Rather than replenishing fuel that is insufficient in the middle of performing loading and unloading work indicated by a large amount of loading and unloading work data, it is possible to use the gap time provided between multiple loading and unloading work periods to replenish the fuel that will be consumed in the next loading and unloading work period. In addition, because the timing of the supply work is determined in advance, preparation for the supply work can be made in advance. This is advantageous in suppressing a decrease in loading and unloading efficiency due to fuel replenishment.

[0032] The cargo handling operation of the gantry crane 6b involves a series of consecutive operations. As shown in FIG. 1 , multiple containers 2 may be transported consecutively from a container ship 4 to a designated storage lane 3, or from a designated storage lane 3 to the container ship 4. Such cargo handling between the container ship 4 and the terminal 1 may be referred to as "ship handling." The shorter the container ship 4's mooring time, the greater the amount of cargo that can be handled at the terminal 1, improving cargo handling efficiency. Therefore, it is desirable to concentrate ship handling in a short period of time.

[0033] In order to efficiently perform cargo handling on a ship, multiple containers 2 stored in a storage lane 3 may be rearranged. The position of a container 2 may be changed within one storage lane 3, or the position of a container 2 may be changed from one storage lane 3 to another storage lane 3. Such cargo handling performed in a storage lane 3 may hereinafter be referred to as rearrangement handling.

[0034] A container 2 may be carried into the storage lane 3 from outside the terminal 1 by an external chassis 8, or a container 2 in the storage lane 3 may be carried out to the outside of the terminal 1 by the external chassis 8. Such cargo handling performed between the storage lane 3 and the external chassis 8 may hereinafter be referred to as external cargo handling.

[0035] A series of consecutive cargo handling operations, such as onboard cargo handling, rearrangement cargo handling, and offshore cargo handling, may be grouped together and set as a data group. In Figure 5, a different alphabet is assigned to the name of the operation item for each data group. For example, A1-3 is offshore cargo handling, B1-5 is rearrangement cargo handling, and C1-4 is onboard cargo handling.

[0036] A data group is formed by grouping together adjacent pieces of cargo handling work data when multiple pieces of cargo handling work data assigned to the target cargo handling equipment 6 are arranged in chronological order. The data group is set in creation step S3 based on the cargo handling work data. For example, when there is a series of cargo handling work data in which the row of the gantry cranes 6b remains almost unchanged, the management system 10 groups these pieces of cargo handling work data into the same data group. The data group may be set, for example, in assignment step S2, in which a large number of cargo handling work data are assigned to each piece of cargo handling equipment 6.

[0037] The data group may be set, for example, in the reading step S1. For example, when multiple cargo handling operation data are set for ship cargo handling, they are linked in advance as the same data group.

[0038] The display method of the cargo handling operation data and data groups and the information included therein shown in Figure 5 are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these. The display method of the cargo handling operation data, etc. can be changed as appropriate, and information included in the cargo handling operation data, etc. can be added as appropriate.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 6, the management system 10 may have an estimation step S6 that estimates a required amount P1, which is the amount of hydrogen gas required by the loading and unloading equipment 6 for the loading and unloading work, based on the loading and unloading work data in the work schedule. In the estimation step S6, a required amount P1 [kg], which is the amount of hydrogen gas consumed in the loading and unloading work, is estimated for each of the loading and unloading work data in the work schedule created in the creation step S3. The required amount P1 is estimated, for example, as the weight of hydrogen gas. In the estimation step S6, the required amount P1 can be estimated, for example, from the workload of the loading and unloading equipment 6. The estimation step S6 is not a required component.

[0040] As shown in Figure 7, a gantry crane 6b stopped in a certain row unloads containers 2 arranged in two columns and three rows onto an on-site chassis 6c. For ease of explanation, the movement path of the containers 2 is indicated by dashed lines in Figure 7. Once the position of the containers 2 to be loaded is determined, the workload of the gantry crane 6b can be determined from the height to which the containers 2 are lifted and the distance they travel in the row direction (left-right direction in Figure 7). From this workload, a required amount P1 is estimated in estimation step S6. Similarly, when the gantry crane 6b travels in the row direction (front-to-back direction in Figure 7), the workload is determined from the weight of the gantry crane 6b and the travel distance, and from this workload, a required amount P1 is estimated in estimation step S6. The longer the distance the containers 2 and the gantry crane 6b are moved, the greater the workload and the greater the hydrogen gas consumption.

[0041] The estimation step S6 may be configured to determine the workload taking into account the weight of the container 2 to be handled and to estimate the required workload P1 from this workload. Even in conventional management systems, the weight of the container 2, including its contents, may be recorded for each container number. The management system 10 can obtain the weight of the container 2 from, for example, the loading and unloading work data. For example, the required workload P1 will differ between an empty 4-ton container and a 25-ton container that is nearly fully loaded. This is advantageous for improving the accuracy of the estimation of the required workload P1 in the estimation step S6. Note that if the weight is not taken into account in the estimation step S6, the weight of the container 2, such as 15 tons, may be determined in advance, and the estimation step S6 may determine the workload.

[0042] 2, the loading and unloading equipment 6 has a remaining amount sensor 18 that measures the remaining amount P2 of hydrogen gas in the hydrogen tank installed therein. The management system 10 can obtain the remaining amount P2 from this remaining amount sensor 18 via the communication device 17. The management system 10 may be configured to obtain the remaining amount P2 in estimation step S6. The remaining amount sensor 18 may be configured, for example, as a pressure sensor that measures the pressure inside the hydrogen tank, or a weight sensor that measures the weight of the hydrogen tank and the hydrogen gas inside.

[0043] The estimation step S6 may be configured to estimate the required time P3 [min] required for each loading and unloading operation data. In the estimation step S6, the travel distance of the gantry crane 6b and the movement distance of the container 2 are determined from the contents of the loading and unloading operation data to estimate the required time P3 required for the operation. Next, the required amount P1 may be estimated in the estimation step S6 based on the assumption that hydrogen gas is consumed in proportion to the required time P3.

[0044] 6, the management system 10 sets a supply operation R in the work schedule based on the required amount P1 and the remaining amount P2 in the setting step S4. In this embodiment, the management system 10 sets the loading and unloading operation time and the gap time in the creation step S3, and then sets the supply operation in the setting step S4.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 8 , in the estimation step S6, the required amount P1 of hydrogen gas is estimated for each cargo handling operation data. Furthermore, by integrating this required amount P1, the amount of hydrogen gas required up to a given cargo handling operation data can be estimated. For example, if the remaining amount P2 acquired by the management system 10 from the remaining amount sensor 18 of the gantry crane 6b is 3.2 kg, the integrated required amount P1 for operation item C2 is 3.45 kg, exceeding the remaining amount P2. In the setting step S4, a supply operation R is inserted into a gap time set before the required amount P1 exceeds the remaining amount P2, i.e., a time t before C2. For example, a supply operation R is set into the gap time between operation items A3 and B1, between B2 and B3, or between B5 and C1. A supply operation R may be set into multiple gap times. A supply operation R may be set into any gap time in the work schedule, as long as the integrated value of the required amount P1 does not exceed the remaining amount P2.

[0046] 8 is not managed as a work schedule. However, if necessary, the work schedule may be changed to display the required quantity P1 and required time P3. The work schedule into which the supply work R has been inserted in setting step S4 is transmitted from management system 10 to each piece of loading and unloading equipment 6 and each piece of supplying equipment 11 in notification step S5.

[0047] The management system 10 can set supply work R in gap times in the work schedule. Supply work R can be set in advance as one of the work items of the cargo handling equipment 6. Because a schedule can be set to replenish fuel before the cargo handling equipment 6 runs out of fuel, the supply work R can also be said to be controlled by feedforward. This is advantageous in suppressing a decline in cargo handling efficiency, as it can prevent the cargo handling equipment 6 from running out of fuel and becoming inoperable.

[0048] If the supply equipment 11 is mobile, the supply equipment 11a can be moved and preparations for the supply work R can be made while the loading and unloading equipment 6 is performing loading and unloading work. Also, if there is a shortage of fuel stored in the terminal 1, an order for fuel can be placed in advance from outside the terminal 1. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in loading and unloading efficiency.

[0049] 8, the setting step S4 may be configured to obtain the required time P3 from the estimation step S6 and set the start time t of the supply work R from this required time P3 and the current time. For example, if the name of the work item currently being performed is B3, the current time is 10:14, and the accumulated required time P3 until the supply work R2 is 6 minutes, the setting step S4 will set the start time t of the supply work R2 to 10:20.

[0050] The setting step S4 allows a time t to be assigned to the work schedule. Since the start time t of the supply work R is set, for example, the mobile supply equipment 11a can be moved in advance to a location where the gantry crane 6b receives the fuel supply and can be made to wait there. When the mobile supply equipment 11a is operated by a worker, the management system 10 may be configured to notify the supply equipment 11a of the start time t. The mobile supply equipment 11a has a device such as a communication device for receiving notifications sent from the management system 10.

[0051] The setting step S4 may be configured to assign a start time t to each cargo handling operation data in addition to the start time t of the supply operation R. There may be a case where the time t at which cargo handling operation can begin after the container ship 4 comes alongside the quay 5 is predetermined. The setting step S4 may be configured to set the start time t of predetermined cargo handling operation data based on this time t. As illustrated in Figure 8, if data group C is ship loading and unloading, and the time t at which cargo handling with the container ship 4 can begin is 11:00, it is clear that operation C1 will be performed at least after 11:00. The start time t of C1 is set to 11:00, for example.

[0052] The system may be configured to correct the start time t of the supply work R and each of the cargo handling work data in the setting step S4 each time an item of the cargo handling work data is executed and completed. In this case, the setting step S4 and the estimation step S6 are repeatedly executed. Even if the time required for the work differs from the estimated required time P3 or if a delay occurs in the work, the accuracy of the start time t can be more easily maintained. The closer the items of the cargo handling work data are executed and, for example, the closer the item of the supply work R2 is to be executed, the more accurate the start time t for the supply work R2 can be.

[0053] In the setting step S4, a supply operation R may be inserted into the gap time between data groups. In this case, the supply operation R is inserted into the gap time between operation item names A3 and B1, or between B5 and C1 in Fig. 8. The supply operation R is not inserted into the gap time between B2 and B3.

[0054] When a series of consecutive cargo handling operations must be performed in a short period of time, such as loading and unloading a ship, this is advantageous for improving cargo handling efficiency because supply work R is not performed in the middle of the operations. Even if a problem occurs during supply work R and the work cannot be completed on time, the impact on the cargo handling operations can be reduced because it is not in the middle of the series of cargo handling operations.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the management system 10 may be configured to execute a calculation step S7 that calculates a supply amount P4 [kg], which is the amount of hydrogen gas to be supplied in the supply work R. Calculation step S7 is not a required component. A configuration may be adopted in which a lower limit value is set when the supply amount P4 is calculated in calculation step S7. In this case, calculation step S7 acquires from estimation step S6 the amount P1 required until the end of the data group following the supply work R. Calculation step S7 calculates the supply amount P4 using the amount of hydrogen gas that is the difference between this required amount P1 and the remaining amount P2 as the lower limit. The calculated supply amount P4 is linked to the work schedule as data. When receiving a notification regarding the supply work R from the management system 10, the supply device 11 may be configured to receive information on the supply amount P4, for example, along with the start time t of the supply work R.

[0056] A specific example will be described below. When a supply operation R2 is performed between operation items B5 and C1 shown in FIG. 8, calculation step S7 obtains the required amount P1 until the end of data group C from estimation step S6. When the operation for operation item B3 is completed, calculation step S7 obtains the current remaining amount P2 and the required amount P1 for B4-5 (0.7 kg) and C1-16 (8.0 kg). For example, if the current remaining amount P2 is 2.0 kg and the required amount P1 is 0.7 + 8.0 = 8.7 kg, the difference of 6.7 kg is calculated in calculation step S7 as the lower limit of the supply amount P4. During supply operation R2, at least 6.7 kg of fuel is supplied to the loading equipment 6.

[0057] In calculation step S7, the supply amount P4 is set to, for example, a lower limit of 6.7 kg. The supply amount P4 may be set by adding a preset amount, such as 1.0 kg, to the lower limit. In this case, the supply amount P4 is 6.7 + 1.0 = 7.7 kg. The supply amount P4 may also be set by multiplying the lower limit by a preset factor, such as 120%. In this case, the supply amount P4 is 6.7 * 1.20 = 8.04 kg.

[0058] The configuration in which the lower limit value is set in calculation step S7 makes it possible to prevent the loading / unloading equipment 6 from running out of fuel and becoming inoperable during the work of data group C that follows supply work R2. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in loading / unloading efficiency.

[0059] An upper limit may be set when the supply amount P4 is calculated in calculation step S7. In this case, calculation step S7 obtains the start time t of the data group after the supply operation R from the work schedule. The supply amount P4 is calculated in calculation step S7 with the amount of hydrogen gas that can be supplied to the loading / unloading equipment 6 up to this start time t as the upper limit. The calculated supply amount P4 is linked to the work schedule as data.

[0060] A specific example will be described below. When a supply operation R2 is performed between operation item names B5 and C1 shown in the example of Fig. 8, calculation step S7 obtains a start time t, such as 11:00, for data group C from the work schedule. If supply operation R2 is completed by this start time t, 11:00, loading and unloading work for data group C will start without delay. If the start time t of supply operation R2 is set to 10:20, for example, in the work schedule, supply operation R2 can be performed for 40 minutes.

[0061] In the creation step S3, when setting a gap time during which no loading / unloading work is performed between multiple loading / unloading work periods, a method similar to that in the calculation step S7 may be used. In other words, if the loading / unloading work data includes a preset start time t, the gap time can be set to the time before that.

[0062] Supply work R also includes work such as connecting the supply equipment 11 and the cargo handling equipment 6 with hydrogen gas piping. The time during which hydrogen gas can be supplied is shorter than the time for supply work R1, for example, 35 minutes. The amount of hydrogen gas that can be supplied in this time, for example, 59.5 kg, becomes the upper limit of supply amount P4. In supply work R2, 59.5 kg or less of fuel is supplied to the cargo handling equipment 6.

[0063] In calculation step S7, the supply amount P4 is set to, for example, an upper limit value of 59.5 kg. The supply amount P4 may be set by subtracting a preset amount, such as 5.0 kg, from the upper limit value. In this case, the supply amount P4 is 59.5 - 5.0 = 54.5 kg. The supply amount P4 may also be set by multiplying the upper limit value by a preset multiplying factor, such as 90%. In this case, the supply amount P4 is 59.5 * 0.9 = 53.55 kg.

[0064] If the start time t of the data group after the supply operation R2 is not set, the upper limit value of the supply amount P4 may be set to an amount that will fill up the hydrogen tank of the cargo handling equipment 6. If the capacity of the hydrogen tank of the gantry crane 6b is, for example, 100 kg, it will take, for example, about one hour to fill up the tank from a state in which the remaining amount P2 is almost zero.

[0065] The configuration in which the upper limit value is set in calculation step S7 allows fuel to be supplied to the loading equipment 6 in time for the start time t of data group C, which follows supply operation R2. This is advantageous in suppressing a decrease in loading efficiency.

[0066] When the supply device 11 performs supply work R for a plurality of cargo handling devices 6, the supply amount P4 may be calculated in calculation step S7 with the upper limit set to the amount of hydrogen gas that the supply device 11 can supply in time for the next supply work R. This is advantageous for improving the availability of the supply device 11.

[0067] Calculation step S7 may be configured to calculate the maximum amount of hydrogen gas that can be supplied to the loading equipment 6 from the difference between the pressure of the hydrogen tank mounted on the loading equipment 6 and the pressure mounted on the supply equipment 11. In this case, calculation step S7 calculates the maximum amount of hydrogen gas calculated based on the above-mentioned differential pressure and the maximum amount of hydrogen gas that can be supplied from the supply equipment 11 to the loading equipment 6 during the gap time for which the supply work R is set. The maximum amount of hydrogen gas based on the differential pressure and the maximum amount of hydrogen gas based on the gap time are compared, and the smaller of these is set as the upper limit in calculation step S7.

[0068] This configuration makes it possible to avoid the problem that, when hydrogen gas is filled into the loading equipment 6 by differential pressure, the supply amount P4 set using the gap time cannot actually be supplied to the loading equipment 6. When calculating the supply amount P4 in calculation step S7, the configuration using the differential pressure is not an essential component. For example, if the supply equipment 11 has a compressor and hydrogen gas is supplied to the loading equipment 6 under pressure, the set supply amount P4 can be supplied to the loading equipment 6 using only the gap time.

[0069] In the calculation step S7, both a lower limit value and an upper limit value may be set, and the supply amount P4 may be calculated based on these values. In this case, the supply amount P4 may be set to, for example, the amount shown in the example of the upper limit value. According to the above example, the supply amount P4 is set to 59.5 kg. The supply amount P4 may also be set to an amount that is the average value of the upper limit value and the lower limit value. According to the above example, the supply amount P4 is set to (6.7 + 59.5) / 2 = 33.1 kg. Setting the supply amount P4 to an amount that is the average value of the upper limit value and the lower limit value rather than the upper limit value shortens the time for the supply operation R, so the supply device 11a can perform the supply operation R for the other gantry crane 6b.

[0070] For example, if the time available for supply operation R2 is short compared to the amount of hydrogen gas required to execute the next data group C of supply operation R2, the lower limit may exceed the upper limit. This makes it difficult to proceed with the work schedule. In such cases, the management system 10 may be configured to send a notification requesting a major change to the work schedule. An operator in the management building 7 may take action such as changing the storage lane 3 in which the container 2 is stored and using different loading and unloading equipment 6. Work such as changing the storage lane 3 may be achieved by re-executing the allocation step S2.

[0071] On the other hand, by setting a wide range for creating a work schedule in advance, such as up to 24 hours in the future, it becomes easier to prevent the lower limit value from exceeding the upper limit value.

[0072] 6, the estimation step S6 may be configured to estimate a required time P3 required for the supply work R based on the supply amount P4 calculated in the calculation step S7. In this case, the setting step S4 may be configured to set the end time t of the supply work R from the required time P3 and the current time.

[0073] Since the end time t of the supply work R is set, it becomes possible to set a work schedule for the next supply work R for other supply equipment 11. Since the start time t and end time t of the supply work R for multiple cargo handling equipment 6 can be set in advance, it is advantageous for improving the operating rate of the supply equipment 11.

[0074] Specifically, a supply operation R for a second piece of cargo handling equipment 6 can be set in the work schedule at a time after the end time t of the supply operation R for a first piece of cargo handling equipment 6. The number of supply equipment 11 is not limited to one. The terminal 1 may have multiple supply equipment 11. In the work schedules for each piece of cargo handling equipment 6, the number of overlapping gap times at the same time is desirably based on the number of supply equipment 11. This can avoid a problem where a supply operation R is set in the gap time of multiple pieces of cargo handling equipment 6, but there are not enough supply equipment 11 to carry out the supply operation according to the work schedule.

[0075] 9 and 10 show examples of work schedules set for multiple pieces of cargo handling equipment 6. If the gantry crane 6b is a manned crane operated by an operator, the operator performs cargo handling work while checking this work schedule. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the work schedule sets the start and end times of supply work R, as well as the queue where the supply work R will be performed. To prevent the gantry crane 6b from moving in conjunction with supply work R, it is desirable to set the queue to the position where the previous work item was completed, for example.

[0076] Priorities for supply work R are set for multiple loading and unloading equipment 6. Priorities can be set so that, for example, loading and unloading equipment 6 performing ship loading and unloading is higher, followed by external loading and rearrangement loading, in that order. The management system 10 sets the supply work R starting from the loading and unloading equipment 6 with the highest priority. If the supplying equipment 11 is mobile, an index for increasing the efficiency of the movement route of the supplying equipment 11a may affect the above-mentioned priority. It is possible to perform supply work R preferentially for loading and unloading equipment 6 with high priority while realizing a situation in which the movement route of the supplying equipment 11a is the shortest.

[0077] As shown in Figure 11, the mobile supply device 11a may have a vehicle 20 and a hydrogen tank 21 mounted on the vehicle 20. In this embodiment, the supply device 11a is made up of two vehicles 20. The first vehicle 20 has multiple hydrogen tanks 21 arranged in a 20 ft container. The hydrogen tanks 21 are filled with hydrogen gas compressed to a high pressure, for example, 82 MPa. The vehicle 20 is equipped with, for example, 16 hydrogen tanks 21, each filled with 12.5 kg of hydrogen gas.

[0078] The second vehicle 20 has a precooler 22 that cools hydrogen gas supplied from a hydrogen tank 21, a dispenser 23 that supplies the hydrogen gas cooled by the precooler 22 to the cargo handling equipment 6, and a storage battery 24 that supplies electricity to the precooler 22 and the dispenser 23. The precooler 22 and other components may be placed inside a 20-ft container carried on the vehicle 20. For ease of explanation, in Figure 11, the piping that transports hydrogen gas is shown with a thick line, and the power cable connected to the storage battery 24 is shown with a dashed line.

[0079] According to information sent from the management system 10, the supplying equipment 11a consisting of two vehicles 20 moves to the vicinity of the gantry crane 6b before the start time t of the supplying work R. The two vehicles 20 may be manned vehicles operated by a worker, or may be unmanned vehicles operated by automatic control.

[0080] An example of a work schedule notified to the supply equipment 11a is shown in Figure 12. If the vehicle 20 is a manned vehicle driven by a worker, the worker performs the supply work R while checking this work schedule. The work schedule sets the number of the loading and unloading equipment to be supplied, the start time and end time of each supply work R, as well as the location where the supply work R will be performed and the supply amount P4. The management system 10 notifies the supply equipment 11a to move to the location where the supply work will be performed before the start time of the supply work R. The location where the supply work R will be performed is set by the storage lane number and its row. The supply equipment 11a will move to the specified location by the start time of the supply work R.

[0081] 11 , when starting the supply work R, an operator connects the hydrogen tank 21 and the precooler 22 with piping, and also connects the dispenser 23 and the loading and unloading equipment 6 with piping. Hydrogen gas is filled from the hydrogen tank 21 into the loading and unloading equipment 6 by differential pressure. When completing the supply work R, the operator disconnects the piping connected to the precooler 22 and the loading and unloading equipment 6.

[0082] Since the vehicle 20 of the mobile supply equipment 11a can move more easily than the gantry crane 6b, the vehicle 20 can move close to the gantry crane 6b to perform the supply work R. The supply work R can be performed in the middle of the extension direction of the storage lane 3. Since the vehicle 20 moves at a faster traveling speed than the gantry crane 6b, this is advantageous for efficiently performing the supply work R.

[0083] In this embodiment, the supply equipment 11a is configured to supply hydrogen gas to the loading equipment 6 by differential pressure, eliminating the need for a compressor. Because a power source for the compressor is not required, the supply work R can be performed at any location. The compressor requires a power source of, for example, 110 kW, and must be connected to a 450 V power cable. If the supply equipment 11a is equipped with a compressor, the supply work can only be performed at a location with a 450 V power cable. The precooler 22 and dispenser 23 can operate on a power source of approximately 10 kW, and can be operated using power supplied from the storage battery 24 installed in the vehicle 20.

[0084] Since the supply equipment 11a is composed of two vehicles 20, if the remaining amount of hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 21 becomes low, another vehicle 20 equipped with the hydrogen tank 21 can be arranged to continue the supply work R. By preparing multiple vehicles 20 equipped with hydrogen tanks 21 for one vehicle 20 equipped with a dispenser 23, etc., the supply work R can be carried out efficiently. This is advantageous for improving the operating rate of the supply equipment 11a.

[0085] The number of vehicles 20 constituting the supply equipment 11a is not limited to two, and it may be constituted by one vehicle 20. This vehicle 20 may be equipped with a 40-foot container, and equipment such as the dispenser 23 and the hydrogen tank 21 may be placed inside this 40-foot container.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal 1 may have a supply lane 25 along which the vehicles 20 of the supply equipment 11a travel. The supply lane 25 is formed along the side of the storage lane 3. A loading and unloading lane 26 along which the on-site chassis 6c and the external chassis 8 travel is formed between the supply lane 25 and the storage lane 3. The vehicles 20 and the on-site chassis 6c, etc. travel in their own dedicated lanes. The vehicles 20 performing the supply work R do not interfere with the travel of the on-site chassis 6c, etc. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in loading and unloading efficiency. The terminal 1 may not have a supply lane 25, and the vehicles 20 constituting the supply equipment 11a may travel along the loading and unloading lane 26 to approach the gantry crane 6b.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal 1 may have a work area 27 where the supply work R is performed. The work area 27 is formed at the end of the storage lane 3 in the extension direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1). In this case, a work area 27 is formed for each storage lane 3. When performing the supply work R, the gantry crane 6b and the vehicle 20 of the supply equipment 11a move to the work area 27. Since the location where the supply work R is performed is limited, it becomes possible to prepare, for example, a 450V power cable. It becomes possible to configure the supply equipment 11a with a vehicle 20 equipped with a compressor.

[0088] Supply work R is performed at the end of the storage lane 3. Even when multiple gantry cranes 6b are performing cargo handling work in one storage lane 3, a gantry crane 6b performing supply work R does not interfere with the cargo handling work of other gantry cranes 6b. Furthermore, supply equipment 11a performing supply work R does not interfere with the travel of on-site chassis 6c, etc. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in cargo handling efficiency at the terminal 1.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 13 , when the loading / unloading equipment 6 is an on-site chassis 6c, the management system 10 sets a work schedule in the same way as for a gantry crane 6b. The container number of the container 2 to be loaded / unloaded, the receiving position where the container 2 is received, and the unloading position where the container 2 is unloaded are set. In the estimation step S6, the required amount P1 is estimated from the travel distance of the on-site chassis 6c. The estimation step S6 may be configured to estimate the workload from the weight of the container 2 to be loaded / unloaded, in addition to the travel distance of the on-site chassis 6c, and to estimate the required amount P1 from this workload. In the setting step S4, a supply operation R is set for at least one of a plurality of gap times. If the management system 10 is configured to execute the estimation step S6, a supply operation R is set in the work schedule based on the remaining amount P2 in the hydrogen tank of the on-site chassis 6c and the required amount P1. This supply operation R is set for the gap time.

[0090] In accordance with the instructions for supply work R in the work schedule, the on-premise chassis 6c travels to the fixed supply equipment 11b and receives a supply of hydrogen gas. If the management system 10 is configured to execute calculation step S7, the on-premise chassis 6c receives a supply of hydrogen gas in an amount corresponding to the supply amount P4 set in calculation step S7. A sensor for identifying the on-premise chassis 6c may be disposed near the dispenser of the supply equipment 11b. Hydrogen gas is supplied to the on-premise chassis 6c based on the supply amount P4 corresponding to the identification number of the on-premise chassis 6c. A configuration may also be adopted in which the identification number is input into the dispenser by an operator, and the preset supply amount P4 is supplied to the on-premise chassis 6c.

[0091] A work schedule may be set for the fixed supply equipment 11b. This work schedule may include, for example, the identification number of the on-site chassis 6c, the supply amount P4, and the start and end times of the supply work R. The fixed supply equipment 11b has a communication device or the like for receiving the schedule and the supply amount P4 notified from the management system 10.

[0092] This is advantageous in avoiding the problem of the on-site chassis 6c running out of fuel during loading and unloading work. Furthermore, the time at which each on-site chassis 6c receives the supply work R from the supply equipment 11b and the supply amount P4 can be adjusted using the work schedule. This can avoid a situation where multiple on-site chassis 6c are waiting for the supply work R near the supply equipment 11b. This is advantageous in improving the operating efficiency of the on-site chassis 6c.

[0093] If the visiting chassis 8 uses hydrogen gas as fuel, the loading equipment 6 may include the visiting chassis 8. The visiting chassis 8 may be a manned or unmanned chassis. It is desirable that the visiting chassis 8 have the same equipment as the on-site chassis 6c. Specifically, it is desirable that the visiting chassis 8 have equipment such as a communication device for receiving the work schedule sent from the management system 10 and transmitting the remaining amount P2 of the hydrogen tank on board to the management system 10. Like the on-site chassis 6c, the visiting chassis 8 can travel to the fixed supply equipment 11b to receive a supply of hydrogen gas in accordance with the instructions for supply work R in the work schedule.

[0094] Even if the visiting chassis 8 does not have the same equipment as the on-site chassis 6c, it may still be included in the loading and unloading equipment 6. When accepting at gate 9 of the terminal 1, the identification number of the visiting chassis 8 and the container number to be loaded and unloaded by the visiting chassis 8 are recorded in the management system 10. At this time, the remaining amount P2 of the hydrogen tank of the visiting chassis 8 may also be recorded in the management system 10. The visiting chassis 8 receives the work schedule set by the management system 10 at the gate 9. The visiting chassis 8 can receive a supply of hydrogen gas in accordance with the instructions for supply work R in the work schedule. Even if the visiting chassis 8 does not have a communication device or the like for exchanging data with the management system 10, the visiting chassis 8 can receive the work schedule at the gate 9. The terminal 1 can incorporate the visiting chassis 8 into its control as loading and unloading equipment 6.

[0095] When the loading and unloading equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11 are controlled by an operator, the operator performs the work while referring to the work schedule. When the loading and unloading equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11 are automatically controlled by a control device, the control device controls the loading and unloading equipment 6 and the like based on the work schedule.

[0096] The supply operation R to the cargo handling equipment 6 that uses hydrogen gas as fuel has been described above. The management system 10 of the present invention can also be used when diesel fuel is supplied to the cargo handling equipment or when the supply equipment charges the storage battery of the cargo handling equipment. Even if the fuel tank of the cargo handling equipment that uses diesel fuel is made smaller, it can receive a supply of diesel fuel without reducing cargo handling efficiency.

[0097] When supply equipment charges cargo handling equipment, the number of charging operations may increase, just as when hydrogen gas is used as fuel. Even in such cases, the cargo handling equipment can be charged efficiently, preventing a decline in cargo handling efficiency.

[0098] The loading and unloading equipment 6 may be configured to include a storage battery such as a lithium-ion battery, and the supply equipment 11 may supply electricity as fuel. In this case, the loading and unloading equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11 are configured to include a storage battery instead of a hydrogen tank. In this specification, the concept of fuel includes electricity.

[0099] If the fuel is electricity, the amount of electricity [kWh] is used for the required amount P1, remaining amount P2, and supply amount P4. In estimation step S6, the required amount P1 [kWh], which is the amount of electricity consumed in a specified loading and unloading operation, is estimated. The remaining amount sensor 18 measures the remaining amount of electricity P2 [kWh] in the storage battery installed in the loading and unloading equipment 6. In calculation step S7, the supply amount P4 [kWh], which is the amount of electricity to be supplied in the supply operation R, is calculated.

[0100] The fuel may be methylcyclohexane, which is obtained by chemically reacting hydrogen and toluene. In this case, the loading and unloading equipment 6 is equipped with, for example, a hydrogen engine or fuel cell that uses hydrogen as fuel. The methylcyclohexane is dehydrogenated via a catalyst in a temperature environment of approximately 300°C and separated into hydrogen and toluene. In this embodiment, the loading and unloading equipment 6 is equipped with a hydrogen engine, a dehydrogenation device that separates hydrogen from methylcyclohexane, a tank that stores the methylcyclohexane, and a tank that recovers the separated toluene. The dehydrogenation device separates hydrogen using heat, for example, above 300°C, emitted from the hydrogen engine. During the supply operation R, the supplying equipment 11 is configured to supply methylcyclohexane to the loading and unloading equipment 6 and recover toluene. Because the exhaust heat of the hydrogen engine is used as a heat source for dehydrogenating the methylcyclohexane, the hydrogen separated from the methylcyclohexane can be efficiently used to power the loading and unloading equipment 6.

[0101] When creating a work schedule, the management system 10 assumes that the constraint that the loading and unloading efficiency from the start to the end of the loading and unloading work, as indicated by a large amount of loading and unloading work data, must be satisfied. However, cases in which the work schedule does not satisfy the aforementioned constraint are also included in the present invention. For example, a work schedule used at an existing terminal may be reused. At some terminals, workers may create work schedules based on empirical rules. At other terminals, existing systems that create work schedules based on predetermined rules may be installed. The management system 10 may be configured to set gap times between loading and unloading work times in an original work schedule prepared in advance for each piece of loading and unloading equipment 6, and create a new work schedule that combines the loading and unloading work time and the gap times. In this case, the management system 10 inputs the original work schedule prepared in advance and outputs a new work schedule that combines the loading and unloading work time and the gap times.

[0102] The present invention is not limited to a configuration in which a supply operation R for supplying fuel from the supply equipment 11 to the cargo handling equipment 6 is set in at least one of a plurality of gap times. Instead of the supply operation R, at least one of maintenance work, a change of operator of the cargo handling equipment 6, or a break may be set in the gap time.

[0103] It can also be said that the management system 10 of the present invention has the following characteristics: The management system 10 assigns a plurality of pieces of cargo handling work data from a large amount of cargo handling work data to each of a plurality of pieces of cargo handling equipment 6, and executes data processing to create a work schedule for each of the pieces of cargo handling equipment 6, the work schedule incorporating a plurality of cargo handling work periods for performing the cargo handling work indicated by the assigned plurality of cargo handling work data and gap times between those plurality of cargo handling work periods when no cargo handling work is performed.

[0104] The management system 10 may be configured to acquire the position information and remaining amount P2 of the cargo handling equipment 6 at predetermined time intervals, or may be configured to acquire the position information, etc. in real time. For example, the management system 10 can acquire the position information, etc. of the cargo handling equipment 6, etc. at a time interval that is set in advance within a range of 1 second to 60 seconds.

[0105] The management system 10 may be configured to acquire position information of the cargo handling equipment 6. Specifically, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which multiple cargo handling equipment 6 are equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna. The position information of the cargo handling equipment 6 is acquired by the GNSS antenna and sent to the management system 10. The configuration in which the management system 10 acquires the position information of the cargo handling equipment 6 is not limited to the above. The management system 10 may also be configured to acquire the position information by detecting the relative position of a transponder installed in the terminal 1 and the cargo handling equipment 6. The management system 10 may also be configured to acquire position information of the mobile supply equipment 11a, similar to the cargo handling equipment 6. Here, the position information of the cargo handling equipment 6 and the supply equipment 11a may be current position information acquired from the GNSS antenna, as well as future position information estimated from the position of the container 2 specified in the work schedule, the direction of travel of the cargo handling equipment 6, etc.

[0106] By acquiring the position information of the loading and unloading equipment 6, the management system 10 can determine whether the loading and unloading equipment 6 is moving in accordance with the work schedule. If the loading and unloading equipment 6 is not moving in accordance with the work schedule, it becomes possible to take action such as changing the work schedule. The management system 10 can also determine whether gap times incorporated into the work schedule occur according to the schedule. The management system 10 can determine the status of multiple loading and unloading equipment 6, which is advantageous in preventing a decline in loading and unloading efficiency.

[0107] The management system 10 may be configured to acquire the remaining fuel amount P2 of the loading equipment 6, and may be configured to set a supply task R for supplying fuel from the supply device 11 to the loading equipment 6 during at least one of a plurality of gap times based on the location information of the loading equipment 6, the remaining fuel amount P2, and a gap time set in the work schedule. The management system 10 can determine whether the loading equipment 6 will be able to complete its movement to the location of the fixed supply device 11 by the time the supply task R is set. Furthermore, based on the location information of the loading equipment 6 and the mobile supply device 11a, the management system 10 can determine whether the loading equipment 6 and the supply device 11a will be able to meet by the time the supply task R is set. Since the management system 10 can determine whether the supply task R can be performed as scheduled, it can also change the work schedule as necessary. It is possible to supply fuel to the loading equipment 6 at an appropriate time based on the location information of the loading equipment 6 and the remaining fuel amount P2. The task set during the gap time is not limited to the supply task R, but may also be maintenance work, etc.

[0108] The management system 10 may be configured to set a location for performing the supply work R when setting the supply work R for a gap time. It becomes possible to appropriately set a location for performing the supply work R based on the position information of the loading and unloading equipment 6 and the remaining amount P2. This is advantageous in preventing a decrease in loading and unloading efficiency. The work for which a location is set at this time is not limited to the supply work R, but may also be maintenance work, etc.

[0109] The terminal 1 according to the present invention may have a configuration similar to the management system 10 described above. In this case, the terminal 1 includes a plurality of cargo handling devices 6, a supply device 11 that supplies fuel to the cargo handling devices 6, and a management system 10 that assigns a plurality of cargo handling operation data from among a large number of cargo handling operation data to each of the cargo handling devices 6. The management system 10 is characterized by performing data processing to create, for each of the plurality of cargo handling devices 6, a work schedule that incorporates a plurality of cargo handling operation times for performing the cargo handling operations indicated by the assigned plurality of cargo handling operation data and gap times between the plurality of cargo handling operation times when no cargo handling operation is performed. The management system 10 of the terminal 1 may also be configured to acquire location information of the cargo handling devices 6. The management system 10 of the terminal 1 may also be configured to acquire a remaining amount P2 of fuel in the cargo handling devices 6, and to set a supply operation R for supplying fuel from the supply device 11 to the cargo handling devices 6 during at least one of a plurality of gap times based on the location information, the remaining amount P2, and the gap time. The management system 10 of the terminal 1 may also be configured to set a location for the supply operation R when setting the supply operation R during the gap time.

[0110] The management method according to the present invention may have a configuration similar to that of the management system 10 described above. In this case, the management method is characterized by performing data processing to create, for each of the plurality of pieces of cargo handling equipment 6, a work schedule incorporating a plurality of cargo handling work times for performing the cargo handling work indicated by the assigned plurality of cargo handling work data and gap times between the plurality of cargo handling work times when no cargo handling work is performed. The management method may also be configured to acquire location information of the cargo handling equipment 6. The management method may also be configured to acquire a remaining amount P2 of fuel in the cargo handling equipment 6, and to set a supply operation R for supplying fuel from the supply equipment 11 to the cargo handling equipment 6 during at least one of the plurality of gap times based on the location information, the remaining amount P2, and the gap times. The management method may also be configured to set a location for the supply operation R when setting the supply operation R during the gap times.

[0111] 1 Terminal 2 Container 3 Storage lane 4 Container ship 5 Quay 6 Cargo handling equipment 6a Quay crane 6b Gantry crane 6c On-site chassis 7 Management building 8 External chassis 9 Gate 10 Management system 11 Supply equipment 11a (Mobile) supply equipment 11b (Fixed) supply equipment 12 Central processing unit 13 Main memory unit 14 Auxiliary memory unit 15 Keyboard 16 Display 17 Communication device 18 Remaining amount sensor 19 Calculation unit 20 Vehicle 21 Hydrogen tank 22 Precooler 23 Dispenser 24 Storage battery 25 Supply lane 26 Loading and unloading lane 27 Work area P1 Required amount P2 Remaining amount P3 Required time P4 Supply amount R Supply work t Time

Claims

1. In a terminal comprising a plurality of handling devices, a supply device for supplying fuel to the handling devices, and a management system for allocating a plurality of handling work data among the plurality of handling devices from among a large number of handling work data, the management system executes data processing for creating, for each of the plurality of handling devices, a work schedule incorporating a plurality of handling work times for executing the handling work indicated by the allocated plurality of handling work data and idle times during which no handling work is executed between those plurality of handling work times. The terminal is characterized by this.

2. In a management system for allocating a plurality of handling work data among a plurality of handling devices from among a large number of handling work data, data processing is executed for creating, for each of the plurality of handling devices, a work schedule incorporating a plurality of handling work times for executing the handling work indicated by the allocated plurality of handling work data and idle times during which no handling work is executed between those plurality of handling work times. The management system is characterized by this.

3. The management system according to claim 2, comprising a configuration for acquiring position information of the handling devices.

4. The management system comprises a configuration for acquiring the remaining amount of fuel of the handling devices, and based on the position information, the remaining amount, and the idle times, comprises a configuration for setting a supply operation for supplying fuel from the supply device to the handling devices during at least one of the plurality of idle times. The management system according to claim 3 is characterized by this.

5. The management system according to claim 4, comprising a configuration for setting a position at which the supply operation is to be performed when setting the supply operation during the idle times.

6. In a management method for allocating a plurality of handling work data among a plurality of handling devices from among a large number of handling work data, data processing is executed for creating, for each of the plurality of handling devices, a work schedule incorporating a plurality of handling work times for executing the handling work indicated by the allocated plurality of handling work data and idle times during which no handling work is executed between those plurality of handling work times. The management method is characterized by this.