This work presents and evaluates the performance of a simulation model based on multiagent system technology in order to support logistic decisions in a harbor from oil supply chain. The main decisions are concerned to pier allocation, oil discharge, storage tanks management and refinery supply by a pipeline. The real elements as ships, piers, pipelines, and refineries are modeled as agents, and they negotiate by auctions to move oil in this system. The simulation results are compared with results obtained with an optimization mathematical model based on mixed integer linear programming (MILP). Both models are able to find optimal solutions or close to the optimal solution depending on the problem size. In problems with several elements, the multiagent model can find solutions in seconds, while the MILP model presents very high computational time to find the optimal solution. In some situations, the MILP model results in out of memory error. Test scenarios demonstrate the usefulness of the multiagent based simulator in supporting decision taken concerning the logistic in harbors.
oil industry supply chain; inventory management; multiagent system; MILP
