Model and Algorithm for Bulk Cargo Ship Routing and Scheduling under Port Congestion Condition

Sea shipping is a major mode of international freight transportation. Because of high capital investment and fierce market competition, effective ship management is an important part of running the business. Existing literature often omits port capacity from consideration when describing non-scheduled ship routing and scheduling optimization. This can lead to operational problems such as delays or missing pickup and delivery time windows when port congestion occurs and render the planned schedule ineffective. In some cases, the schedule may have to be scrapped altogether and is replaced by an ad hoc schedule, that may not be very efficient to operate. The objective of this research is to develop a mathematical model and a solution approach for routing and scheduling of non-scheduled bulk cargo ship under port congestion condition. The model is formulated as a set partitioning model with side constraints. An algorithm is developed to generate feasible routings of each ship, of which port occupation times are recorded. These times are then captured in the model to ensure the number of ships simultaneously calling at each port does not exceed the port’s capacity. A special algorithm based on column and row generation techniques is developed to solve the model to optimality. Computational results based on test data from a tramp operator in Thailand shown practical applicability and significant benefits of the model.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AW010(2) AW010 Paper Review Subcommittee
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lohatepanont, Manoj
  • Kongsermsup, Viroon
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
• Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bulk cargo handling; Freight transportation; Mathematical models; Port capacity; Port congestion; Routing; Scheduling; Tramp shipping
• Geographic Terms: Thailand
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01363988
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 12-3518
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 29 2012 7:21AM