How simulation minutes are calculated

Overview

Shoreline uses simulation minutes to transparently measure and bill for the computational resources used when running simulations. Simulation minutes reflect the actual time our simulation infrastructure spends preparing, running, and finalizing your simulation request.

This article explains:

What simulation minutes represent
Which parts of a simulation are included
How minutes are calculated and summed
What is not counted as simulation minutes

Our goal is to ensure billing is clear, fair, and directly tied to value delivered.

What Are Simulation Minutes?

Simulation minutes represent the total amount of time Shoreline’s simulation systems actively work on your simulation.

Each simulation run is measured end-to-end and includes all required computation needed to produce accurate and complete results — not just the core simulation logic. This ensures you are billed only for real computational work performed on your behalf.

The Three Phases Included in Simulation Minutes

Every simulation run is executed in three clearly defined phases. Time spent in each phase is measured independently and then combined.

1. Simulation Preparation (Pre-Processing)

Before the simulation can run, the system prepares your scenario.

This phase includes:

Loading and validating your project configuration
Initializing assets such as turbines, vessels, ports, and crews
Preparing weather data and operational constraints
Setting up the simulation environment and internal models

Preparation time depends on the size and complexity of your project, such as the number of assets, vessels, and the amount of weather data involved.

2. Simulation Execution (Core Processing)

This is the main simulation phase where your scenario is executed.

It includes:

Advancing the simulation through time
Executing operational logic such as maintenance, logistics, and vessel movements
Evaluating weather conditions and operational limits
Allocating resources and completing tasks
Running probabilistic or Monte Carlo scenarios, if requested

This phase typically represents the largest portion of simulation minutes, especially for long-term or highly detailed simulations.

3. Results Generation (Post-Processing)

After the simulation completes, results are processed and prepared for delivery.

This phase includes:

Aggregating simulation outcomes and performance metrics
Calculating statistics such as availability, costs, and utilization
Generating result files, reports, and exports
Preparing outputs for download and visualization

This ensures results are complete, consistent, and immediately usable.

How Simulation Minutes Are Calculated

For each simulation run, the time spent in all three phases is measured and added together:

Total Simulation Minutes =
Preparation Time + Execution Time + Results Generation Time

All time is measured with high precision and then converted into minutes.

Example

A single simulation run may look like this:

Preparation: 0.8 minutes
Execution: 30.0 minutes
Results generation: 2.0 minutes

Total for one run: 32.8 simulation minutes

Multiple Runs and Monte Carlo Simulations

If your simulation request includes multiple runs (for example, Monte Carlo analysis):

Each run is measured independently
Total simulation minutes are the sum of all runs

Example:

10 runs × 32.8 minutes per run
Total usage: 328 simulation minutes

This ensures you only pay for the actual compute time used.

Limits, Usage, and Attribution

Simulation minutes are attributed per simulation run
Usage is accumulated across all runs within a simulation request
Limits and billing are applied based on the total recorded simulation minutes
Both successful and partially completed runs record the time spent up to completion or failure

This approach ensures accurate attribution and predictable usage tracking.

What’s Not Counted as Simulation Minutes

To ensure fair and transparent billing, only the computational work required to execute your simulation is counted. The following activities do not count toward simulation minutes:

User Interaction and Configuration

Time spent configuring projects in the user interface
Editing assets, vessels, tasks, or parameters before submitting a simulation
Reviewing dashboards, charts, or results after completion
Downloading or opening result files

Waiting and Queue Time

Time spent waiting in a job queue before execution starts
Scheduling delays caused by platform load or resource availability
Inactive or paused time before a simulation begins running

Data Storage and Retention

Long-term storage of simulation results
Retention of historical simulation data
Backups and redundancy mechanisms

Platform and System Overhead

General platform operations unrelated to your simulation
System monitoring, logging, and health checks
Security, access control, and authentication processes

Support and Operational Activities

Manual reviews by Shoreline staff
Customer support investigations
Internal testing, validation, or quality assurance activities

Transparency and Accuracy

Shoreline’s simulation minute tracking is designed to be:

Transparent – Clear visibility into what is included
Accurate – High-precision measurement, not estimates
Fair – You are billed only for value-producing computation
Auditable – Historical usage is retained for review and comparison

Summary

Simulation minutes reflect the full computational effort required to deliver your simulation results. They include:

Preparation – setting up your scenario
Execution – running the simulation itself
Results generation – producing and delivering outputs

The time spent in these phases is summed for each run and accumulated across all runs in your simulation request.

Nothing outside this scope is counted.

This ensures clear, predictable, and usage-based billing aligned with the value delivered.