A cost optimisation of preventative upkeep networks using the South African Navy as a case study

Date
2014-04
Authors
Truter, Albert Willem
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Navy (SAN) intends to reinstate Naval Station Durban (NSD) as a fully operational support base for a new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV’s) which the SAN intends to purchase. These acquisitions must be seen against the background of strategic and political considerations in general, and in particular threats to South Africa’s maritime security, due to the possibility of the piracy, along particularly the West African coast, reaching our territorial waters. The aim of this thesis is the development of a cost-optimization model, intended to provide optimal locations for the SAN’s support facilities, given the SAN’s operational obligations, present and future. In the first part, a literary review of facility location formulation and strategic management principles is an attempt to lay the foundations for the proposed model. The review of this literature is primarily based on extracts of the comprehensive research of other authors. Consequently, the research problem was contextualized and classified as a hierarchical location-allocation problem. The second part of the thesis aims to describe the SAN’s environment from a maritime security perspective. Within this framework, formulation was identified and modified to develop a theoretical mechanism to solve the research question. The final part will see the application of the developed model to a case study specific to the situation of the SAN. Validation of the inputs and the model itself proceeded in conjunction with the application of the model. The results and the model itself were validated through visual inspection and independent mathematical validation. This thesis comes to the conclusion that the SAN cannot cost-effectively meet its future obligations by splitting its maintenance capability between Naval Base Durban (NBD) and Naval Base Simon’s Town (NBS). Future research may build upon the results of this thesis in order to facilitate a more comprehensive optimization of preventative networks.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot (SAV) beoog om die vlootstasie in Durban weer op te gradeer na ’n volwaardige vlootbasis vir die beoogde aanskaffing van ’n nuwe klas van patroleringsvaartuie. Die motivering vir die opgradering van Durban kom uit dieper strategiese en politieke behoeftes maar word tans toegeskryf aan plaaslike bedreigings van seerowery en die gevolglike verkryging van nuwe patrollievaartuie om hierdie bedreiging, onder meer, te bekamp. Die doel van hierdie meesters tesis, is om ’n koste optimerings model te vind, of te ontwikkel, wat optimale liggings vir ondersteunings fasilitieite sal lewer, gegewe die toekomstige of huidige verpligtinge van die SAV. Die eerste gedeelte van hierdie tesis bevat ’n literatuuroorsig van fasiliteitsligging-formulering en strategiese bestuursbeginsels. Hierdie literatuuroorsig beoog om die grondslag vir die voorgestelde model te lê. Die oorsig van sodanige literatuur is hoofsaaklik gebaseer op uittreksels uit veelomvattende opsommings deur ander outeurs. Gevolglik is die navorsingsprobleem gekontekstualiseer en geklassifiseer as ’n hiërargiese ligging-toekenningsprobleem. Die tweede deel van die tesis beoog om die omgewing van die SAV vanuit ’n maritieme sekuriteitsperspektief te beskryf. Binne hierdie raamwerk is formulering geïdentifiseer en só gemodifiseer om ’n teoretiese meganisme te ontwikkel om die navorsingsvraag op te los. Die finale deel pas die ontwikkelde model op die spesifieke situasie van die SAV toe. Validasie van die insette sowel as die model self is gedoen in samewerking met die toepassing van die model. Die resultate tesame met die model self is deeglik bekragtig deur visuele inspeksie en onafhanklike wiskundige validasie. Hierdie tesis het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die SAV nie koste-effektief aan sy toekomstige operasionele verpligtinge sal kan voldoen met die verdeling van sy onderhoudsvermoë tussen ’n vlootbasis in Durban en Simonstad nie. Toekomstige navorsing kan op die resultate van hierdie tesis bou ten einde ’n meer omvattende optimalisering van voorkomende instandhoudingsnetwerke te fasiliteer.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
Keywords
South Africa. Navy -- Cost control, Shipping -- Security measures, Naval bases -- Cost effectiveness, Piracy -- Preventitive measures, UCTD, Dissertations -- Industrial engineering
Citation