The Model of Optimal Allocation of Maritime Oil Spill Combat Ships

Abstract

The paper describes a two-stage method for optimizing the location of marine oil spill combat forces and assessing the costs related to this action at the sea. An optimization problem relates to positioning the oil pollution combat ships in ports in such a way that they are able combat the anticipated number of oil spills in certain positions in the Polish coast of the Baltic Sea area in the shortest possible time. The problem was classified as NP-hard; therefore, in the first stage, an evolutionary algorithm was applied. The main output of the model based on the evolutionary algorithm is the time of arrival of combat ships from the port to the oil spill area, as well as the costs of such operation; this is defined as the aim function. The first stage of the model does not simulate combat pollution action; therefore, the results obtained were treated as approximate. In the second stage, the several best allocations of oil spill response resources obtained in the first stage were used as input to a detailed simulation model of combat action. For each chosen allocation, a number of oil combat action simulations were carried out. The model can be used to create and verify oil pollution contingency plans, and finally increase the sustainability of sea and coastal areas.