A berth allocation strategy using heuristics algorithm and simulation optimisation

Abstract

The Berth Allocation Problem (BAP) becomes critically important to the operational efficiency of a container terminal due to rapid advances in container terminal management. For reducing the total berthing time and cost, intensive research concerning only the berthing stage has been conducted. Accordingly, a broader viewpoint, i.e., an integration of berth allocation and yard planning, has not been well addressed. As such, a novel BAP strategy, which combines dynamic berth allocation and yard planning, is investigated in this study. An example of a specific container terminal in Shanghai is used to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.