Pusher Tug and Barge Scheduling Problem in a Shuttle Service with a Short-range Distance

Abstract

Pusher tug and barge system (PTBS) can be divided into two parts: an unmanned cargo-stowage part and a manned propelling-power part. While the barge is loading/unloading cargo at a terminal, the pusher tug can uncouple that barge and move to another terminal, and couple another barge to transport the next shipments. This paper examines the possibility of further efficient operation of PTBS for reducing related costs of barge transport in a shuttle service with a relatively short-range distance. We model a pusher tug and barge scheduling problem that can be used to simultaneously determine the optimal operation of pusher tug and barge. Based on numerical experiments, we found that the PTBS reduces the working time of tugs and therefore saves the barge related costs compared to conventional barge system.