Post Katrina Response at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Using Modeling and Simulation

LaRue, C., Hill. T. W., Miller, J., Welch, J., Walden, C., Dobson, G., & Coates, B. (2007). Post Katrina Response at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Using Modeling and Simulation. ShipTech 2007. Biloxi, MS: Naval Metalworking Center.

Hurricane Katrina severely impacted Northrop Grumman Ship System’s (NGSS) Gulf Coast shipyards. As a result, senior management within NGSS was faced with many critical decisions regarding shipyard regeneration. In order to address these planning challenges, a shipyard modeling project, already underway and funded by the Office of Naval Research, was re-directed in order to enhance the planning process. In response, the simulation modeling team rapidly developed several simulation models of planned operations. Simulation models were developed for the following processes/shops within the shipyard; IPD Shop, Machine Shop, Overall Shipyard Material Flow, Traffic and Parking, Shipboard utilization, and Shipyard Unit Level construction. The presentation will focus on the results from each model and their associated impact on the overall shipyard regeneration efforts. The modeling team was comprised of a cross section of engineers from Northrop Grumman, Mississippi State University, and University of New Orleans.