scholarly journals Stochastic Empty Container Repositioning Problem with CO2 Emission Considerations for an Intermodal Transportation System

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhao ◽  
Qingwan Xue ◽  
Xi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Stochastic Demand ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Nonlinear Integer Programming ◽  
Intermodal Transportation ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Demand And Supply ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Related Cost ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning

As one of main challenge for carriers, empty container repositioning is subject to various uncertain factors in practice, which causes more operation costs. At the same time, the movements of empty containers can result in air pollution because of the CO2 emission, which has a negative impact on sustainable development. To incorporate environmental and stochastic characteristics of container shipping, in this paper, an empty container repositioning problem, taking into account CO2 emission, stochastic demand, and supply, is introduced in a sea–rail intermodal transportation system. This problem is formulated as a chance-constrained nonlinear integer programming model minimising the expected value of total weighted cost. A sample average approximation method is applied to convert this model into its deterministic equivalents, which is then solved by the proposed two-phase tabu search algorithm. A numerical example is studied to conclude that the stochastic demand and supply lead to more repositioning and CO2 emission-related cost. Total cost, inventory cost, and leasing cost increase with the variabilities of uncertain parameters. We also found that the total cost and other component costs are strongly dependent on the weights of repositioning cost and CO2 emission-related cost. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis is conducted on unit leasing cost.

scholarly journals Distributed Robust Chance-Constrained Empty Container repositioning Optimization of the China Railway Express

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 706
Author(s):  
Lei Xing ◽  
Qi Xu ◽  
Jiaxin Cai ◽  
Zhihong Jin
Keyword(s):  
Partial Information ◽  
Service Level ◽  
Chance Constraints ◽  
Chance Constrained Programming ◽  
Intermodal Transportation ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning ◽  
China Railway ◽  
Constrained Programming

In order to reduce the total cost of empty container repositioning, a multi-period empty container repositioning optimization model of the China Railway Express was established by using distributed robust chance-constrained programming based on partial information such as mean and variance of demand. This established model considered sea-land intermodal transportation, uncertain empty container demand and foldable containers. To simplify the model, the distributed robust chance constraints were transformed into equivalent ones that could be easily solved, and the empty container demands were determined. Numerical experiments were carried out to analyze the influence of different parameters on the total cost. The results showed that the total cost could be greatly reduced by sea-land intermodal transportation. Using foldable containers could reduce the total cost of empty container repositioning. With the improvement of service level, the numbers of empty container repositioning increased owing to the distributional robust chance constraints. When standard and foldable containers were used simultaneously, the total cost could be greatly reduced by appropriately using foldable containers under three different supply–demand relationships of containers. The optimization results may provide a greatly feasible reference for the decision makers of the China Railway Express.

scholarly journals Optimization on the Multi-period Empty Container Repositioning Problem in Regional Port Cluster Based upon Inventory Control Strategies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxin Cai ◽  
Yubo Li ◽  
Yandong Yin ◽  
Xiaohan Wang ◽  
Zhihong Jin
Keyword(s):  
Inventory Control ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Programming Model ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Dynamic Programming Method ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Shipping Company ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning ◽  
Port Clusters

Abstract Within the area of regional port clusters, this paper establishes a multi-period mixed integer programming model to optimize the empty container repositioning between public hinterlands and ports, comprehensively considering the quantitative and periodic inventory control strategy. By using Markov decision process combined with dynamic programming method, this paper dynamically optimizes the empty container inventory threshold (D;U) under quantitative strategy and S under periodical strategy at each port within the regional port clusters. On this basis, this paper optimizes the empty container repositioning scheme between public hinterlands and ports. Meanwhile, Liaoning coastal regional port cluster and its northeast hinterland are selected as the objects to solve this model and the results show that the total cost of shipping company can be saved by 14.16% and 11.92% respec- tively by the quantitative and periodical inventory control strategy. Selecting the quantity of public hinterland terminals, the empty container demand of public hinterland terminals and ports, the inventory threshold of empty containers and other factors, this paper carries on the sensitivity analysis. This paper validates inventory control strategy can weaken the shipping company in the influence of the external environment changes. And the quantitativeinventory control strategy can reduce the total cost value to a greater extent and more effective in cost control than periodical strategy.

Maritime Empty Container Repositioning

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Khakbaz ◽  
Jyotirmoyee Bhattacharjya
Keyword(s):  
Classification Scheme ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Maritime Shipping ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning ◽  
Shipping Containers ◽  
Empty Containers ◽  
The Cost

Maritime shipping containers are important to a number of different industries as they facilitate the reduction of transportation costs. To address the needs of shippers, empty containers need to be repositioned globally between seaports. Since the cost of empty container repositioning (ECR) constitutes a significant element of the total cost of running a global container fleet operation, the problem has been receiving increasing attention from scholars. The diversity of this literature necessitates the development an appropriate classification scheme to identify trends, gaps, and directions for future research. This paper reviews publications on maritime ECR over the last two decades and examines such trends and potential research directions.

scholarly journals Research on the Optimization of Empty Container Repositioning of China Railway Express in Cooperation with International Liner Companies

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3182
Author(s):  
Lei Xing ◽  
Hong Yan ◽  
Yandong Yin ◽  
Qi Xu
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Numerical Experiments ◽  
Optimization Problem ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Optimization Models ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning ◽  
China Railway ◽  
The Cost

Both China Railway Express (CRE) companies and international liner companies are faced with the problem of empty container repositioning. In order to reduce empty container repositioning cost and realize their sustainable development, this paper studies the optimization problem of empty container repositioning under the condition of their cooperation. To minimize the cost, three optimization models of empty container repositioning are established, which are based on the single repositioning and cooperative repositioning. Numerical experiments are carried out to analyze the three empty container repositioning optimization models solved by CPLEX. The results show that the total cost could be greatly reduced by the cooperative repositioning. The effects of cooperation become more obvious with the unit storage cost or repositioning cost increases and become weaker with the unit mutual rental cost increase. When the demand fluctuation is in a certain range, the cooperation is still effective, which can reduce the cost. But when it is beyond a certain range, the benefits will be greatly reduced. In reality, for the sustainability of their cooperation, both sides should pay attention to the proportion of supply and demand and set reasonable mutual rental cost.

Maritime Empty Container Repositioning

2018 ◽  
pp. 210-233
Author(s):  
Hossein Khakbaz ◽  
Jyotirmoyee Bhattacharjya
Keyword(s):  
Transportation Costs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Empty Container ◽  
Total Cost ◽  
Maritime Shipping ◽  
Empty Container Repositioning ◽  
Shipping Containers ◽  
Empty Containers ◽  
The Cost

Maritime shipping containers are important to a number of different industries as they facilitate the reduction of transportation costs. To address the needs of shippers, empty containers need to be repositioned globally between seaports. Since the cost of empty container repositioning (ECR) constitutes a significant element of the total cost of running a global container fleet operation, the problem has been receiving increasing attention from scholars. The diversity of this literature necessitates the development an appropriate classification scheme to identify trends, gaps, and directions for future research. This paper reviews publications on maritime ECR over the last two decades and examines such trends and potential research directions.

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