Container Logistics Research Articles

A comprehensive methodological framework for improving security and efficiency of port container logistics

As ports have become key logistics nodes in global chains, port management of container operations has been experiencing radical changes. Moreover, the ramifications of the associated policy-making expand well beyond their own boundaries. The challenging managerial environment is further exacerbated by security concerns and regulations that have gained increased importance during the past years. In this work, we present a System Dynamics simulation-based methodological framework for the modelling and analysis of strategic decision-making for port containers management tackling the issues of security and efficiency. More specifically, we investigate the implications of alternative inspection policies on port system performance, while taking into account the interdependencies of the inspection process with the capacity planning of port operations. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of the developed methodology on a major port of Greece.

Short Sea Shipping and Innovations for lntermodal Container Logistics in Northeast Asia

The Incheon Region has numerous assets that fall within a Pentaport model.' These include the Incheon International Airport, the Port of Incheon, a coastal industrial park, free economic zones, a leisure port, and Songdo new town designed to be the future Silicon Valley of Korea. This paper looks at how Northeast Asia trade flows between China and Korea might be enhanced by application of the Pentaport model in making the Incheon region a North East Asian Hub. It looks also at their trade and logistics systems as well as their water borne commerce. It proposes an integrated transportation system for the Yellow Sea Region being beneficial to the economies of the Northeast Asia. It also stresses that innovative technologies for ships, terminals and cargo handling systems should be introduced to develop a competitive short sea shipping system in the region and cooperation among the regional countries will be essential to achieve the final goal. The potential of methods of container shipping is discussed as it might apply to short sea shipping in the Yellow Sea Region that could greatly facilitate Incheon's situation with respect to the broader region in application of the Pentaport model.

Optimum Stacking Method based on Fuzzy Systems Theory in Container Terminal.

Container logistics networks need their expansion and the improvement of their efficiency. For this purpose, the container handling carrying system should be optimized in terminals. Then, it is important to reduce the cycle time for container operation. The operation cycle time is effected by machine performance and the arrangement of containers in stacking yard. In this study, the optimum stacking method in the yard is constructed. As the first step, a stacking method based on fuzzy systems theory has been developed. The judgement of container weight and unloading terminal are treated logically for a container. And the optimum location of a container in stacking yard is decided. The container handling applied this stacking method and conventional ones was simulated. The speed and distance of load hoisting, travelling and traversing are considered in this simulation. As the result, this stacking method is superior to convensional ones in shipping operation time.

Spatial evolutionary game theory: Hawks and Doves revisited

We consider a spatial generalization of evolutionary game theory in which strategies are distributed over a spatial array of sites. We assume that the strategy corresponding to a given site has local interactions with the strategies sitting on neighbouring sites, and that the strategies change if neighbouring strategies are doing better. After briefly setting the stage with a formal definition of spatial evolutionary game theory, we consider the spatial extension of the Hawk-Dove game, and we show that the results are qualitatively different from those obtained from classical evolutionary game theory. For example, the proportion of Hawks in the population is in general lower in the spatial game than in the classical one. We also consider spatial generalizations of the extensions of the Hawk-Dove game obtained by including strategies such as Retaliator and Bully. Here, too, the results from the spatial game are very different from the classical results. In particular, with space Retaliator is a much more successful strategy than one would expect from classical considerations. This suggests that, in general, spatial structure may facilitate the evolution of strategies such as Retaliator, which do not necessarily prosper classically, and which are reminiscent of the \`nice', \`provokable' and `forgiving' strategies which seem to play a central role in the evolution of cooperation. The results indicate that including spatial structure in evolutionary game theory is a fruitful extension.

Shipping Container Logistics and Allocation

major shipping company in Hong Kong is faced with several logistical and allocation problems. It needs to find a better way to allocate empty containers that are transported from the Middle East to ports in the Far East, subject to vessel schedules and capacities. It needs to know what to do when the supply of empty containers is less than the demand, and it needs to determine the mix of container types that the company should maintain in the long run. To deal with these challenges, a simulation model of the shipping company's operational activities was developed. Heuristic search was employed to identify the policies that yield the lowest operating cost in terms of leasing, storage, pick-up, drop-off and other charges. What makes the problem difficult is that the forecasts of future export movement as well as the demand for empty containers change continually and the company is faced with the possibility of lost sales if containers are not available when requested by customers. This study provided insights that resulted in substantial savings to the shipping company while increasing customers' satisfaction.

Shipping Container Logistics and Allocation

A major shipping company in Hong Kong is faced with several logistical and allocation problems. It needs to find a better way to allocate empty containers that are transported from the Middle East to ports in the Far East, subject to vessel schedules and capacities. It needs to know what to do when the supply of empty containers is less than the demand, and it needs to determine the mix of container types that the company should maintain in the long run. To deal with these challenges, a simulation model of the shipping company's operational activities was developed. Heuristic search was employed to identify the policies that yield the lowest operating cost in terms of leasing, storage, pick-up, drop-off and other charges. What makes the problem difficult is that the forecasts of future export movement as well as the demand for empty containers change continually and the company is faced with the possibility of lost sales if containers are not available when requested by customers. This study provided insights that resulted in substantial savings to the shipping company while increasing customers' satisfaction.

Shipping Container Logistics and Allocation

Shipping Container Logistics and Allocation