The allocation of berths and quay cranes by using a sub-gradient optimization technique

Abstract

This paper examines the allocation of berths and quay cranes for vessels arriving at container terminals. Previous work in this area has either ignored or deemphasized the coverage range limitations of quay cranes or imposed too loose or too rigid assumptions about whether quay cranes can be adjusted during loading and discharging, thus making the extracted models less applicable to the actual situation. This paper takes into consideration the coverage ranges of quay cranes and allows for limited adjustments of quay cranes during loading and discharging. A mixed integer programming model is constructed, and a sub-gradient optimization algorithm is applied to solving the problem. Using actual data, the performance of the algorithm is demonstrated.