Container Port Research Articles

Smart product service resources composition optimization for smart product service system in context of industrial IoT platform

Smart product service resources composition (SPS-RC) is a core issue of smart product service system (PSS) development in the emerging context of industrial internet of things (IIoT) platform, aiming to organize distributed resources for smart product service operation tasks. Existing research mainly focuses on the traditional physical PSS, while contains scant exploration of the new features emerging in context of IIoT platform, leading to an urgent updating need for SPS-RC approaches. Therefore, this study proposes a systematic framework for SPS-RC in context of IIoT platform based on cyber physical system (CPS)-based SPS blueprint, graph theory and adaptive genetic algorithm. In the proposed framework, the SPS-RC problem is formulated in accordance with the realistic smart product service operation process using the CPS-based SPS blueprint. The graph theory and depth-first search algorithm are employed to calculate the composition performance under the environment of heterogenous connection structures between SPS tasks. In addition, an optimization model considering heterogenous composition structures is established with aggregating various quality of service into one comprehensive objective and solved by an adaptive genetic algorithm. Finally, an application of this systematic framework for smart port container crane service demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Simulation Study on Sea-Rail Intermodal Diversion Operation of Container Terminal in the Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port

With the continuous development of global trade, the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, as an important node of international shipping, its efficient and orderly container dredging operation is crucial to ensure the overall operational efficiency of the port and the stability of the regional supply chain. However, the actual operation is faced with multiple constraints such as fluctuating berth utilization rate, complex truck scheduling, tight yard space, and so on, which need to be optimized by scientific means. To achieve more efficient container transport, it is necessary to further optimize and improve sea-rail intermodal transport to improve the efficiency of port container operations. Therefore, this paper is based on the background of the rapid development of sea-rail intermodal transport of port containers, focusing on the problem of dredging operation of container terminals in the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, through the analysis of the characteristics and influencing factors of container dredging operation, research on the optimization of container dredging scheme and put forward optimization scheme for the problem of dredging in Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and economy of container dredging operation and the efficiency of container dredging operation in Beilun port area through the advanced modeling and simulation technology. Through advanced modeling and simulation technology, it aims to effectively improve the efficiency and economy of container dredging operations in the Beilun port area, to cope with the increasing throughput pressure and the challenges of a complex logistics environment, and to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the development of China’s sea-railway intermodal transport.

Optimizing container ports’ transportation and Distribution systems toward a low-carbon future: A Shenzhen port case study

Although the large throughput of China’s container ports signals positive progress on trade and economic growth, large Chinese container ports still heavily rely on high-emitting and heavy-polluting diesel trucks for transportation and distribution. The reliance on diesel HDTs is aggravating air pollution in ports’ surrounding areas, worsening traffic congestion, and preventing port cities from establishing ambitious carbon-emission reduction targets.

Evaluation of Mediterranean market container ports using Boston Consulting Group Matrix

Evaluation of Mediterranean market container ports using Boston Consulting Group Matrix

Evaluation of Containerized Trade and Competitiveness among Container Ports in Black Sea Basin

With the increase in trading volume and competitiveness in global trade, ports have becomeindispensable and critical rivalry zones for countries. As competitiveness among the firm increaseat a global level, ports become a rivalry zone cause of being the most critical economic structuresand increasing competitiveness for transnational business and trade activities. The Black SeaBasin is one of the most important waterways in the world in terms of commercial, political andstrategic aspects. The devastating consequences of conflicts and tensions, especially in recentyears, prove the importance of the Black Sea Basin for world maritime trade. Therefore, the portsof the Black Sea Basin are of great importance. When the existing literature is reviewed, it is seenthat there are many studies on the competitiveness and efficiency issues. Since the studies in theliterature are mostly conceptual, it is obvious that they do not reveal analytical results, whichconstitutes a deficiency in the literature. In addition, the lack of a scientific study on theefficiency of container ports in the Black Sea Basin in recent years has made this study necessary.The aim of this study is to examine the efficiency and competitiveness of container ports in theBlack Sea Basin, which has a great importance both regionally and globally. The “DataEnvelopment Analysis” (DEA) of the input-oriented CCR model, which is a linear program, wasused to measure the productivity of the ports, and the relative efficiency of the ports wascalculated.

Trajectory Prediction of Port Container Trucks Based on DeepPBM-Attention

Trajectory Prediction of Port Container Trucks Based on DeepPBM-Attention

The Effectiveness of Enhanced Value Reference Information System (e-VRIS) as New Database for Value and Classification of Imported Goods

The Enhanced Value Reference Information System (e-VRIS) is a new database for value and classification of imported goods in order to address corruption done through undervaluation and misclassification. With this aim, and with its considerable period of use and implementation, it is now imperative to determine how effective is this new system in combatting these types of corruption. Thus, the objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness e-VRIS in terms of the following: 1) Risk Valuation; 2) Enhanced Declared Value; and, 3) Classification. Data from 40 Customs Examiners from the Manila International Container Port (MICP) were elicited using a self-made survey questionnaire. To analyze the data, weighted mean was used as statistical tool. Findings indicated overall agreement among the respondents regarding e-VRIS's effectiveness in identifying revenue and compliance risks, with positive feedback on its monitoring mechanism. Similarly, respondents generally acknowledged e-VRIS's contribution to accurate tariff classification, despite differing opinions on determining country of origin. In conclusion, e-VRIS demonstrated effectiveness as a modern customs administration tool, essential for trade facilitation and corruption prevention. Its alignment with international standards and consistent performance underscored its significance in promoting transparency and efficiency in customs procedures in the Philippine customs industry.

Optimizing berth-crane allocation considering tidal effects using chaotic quantum whale optimization algorithm

With the normalization of the global epidemic, shipping has gradually resumed, resulting in a surge in port throughput. Terminal managers are having great difficulty in making container ports be stable, orderly, and efficient. For small and medium-sized ports, making full use of the tidal water level to increase the operation time of large ships significantly improves the efficiency of port operations. Therefore, considering the impact of tidal factors on the operation of container ports, this paper firstly proposes a new berths and quay cranes allocation optimization model, T-B&QC, that minimizes the distance between the actual berthing berth and the preferred berth, the port time cost of ships and the number of quay crane movements as the optimization objectives, under constraints that consider tidal factors. Then, to solve the T-B&QC model using chaotic mapping and quantum theory, the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is integrated by using the Chaotic Quantum Rotating Gate Algorithm (CQRGA) and the Quantum Not Gate Algorithm (QNGA), whale coding rules are designed, and the Feasible-Integer Processing Algorithm (WF-IP) is established. Afterwards, the Chaotic Quantum Whale Optimization Algorithm, CQWOA, is proposed. Finally, the CQWOA is used to develop a new berth and quay crane allocation optimization method, T-B&QC_CQWOA. Subsequently, data from an actual seaport container port is used to test the reliability and superiority of the proposed distributing approach and the established optimizing algorithm. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed distributing approach outperforms the classical distribution models that are selected herein, and the CQWOA yields a coordinated schedule of higher quality than the others in the process of solving the model.

Enhancing OCR with line segmentation mask for container text recognition in container terminal

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the operational efficiency of container ports. However, challenges such as angle limitations and the complexity of container fonts in traditional OCR systems lead to tilted text and text adhesion, thereby reducing the recognition rate. Recognizing containers at a high speed is equally crucial for port operations. In this study, we address these challenges by introducing an Enhanced OCR (EOCR) system, incorporating Line Segmentation Mask (LSM)-based detection and Scanline-based recognition. LSM tackles the issue of text adhesion caused by traditional segmentation, while recognition based on scan lines accelerates efficiency. Additionally, we propose the arbitrary angle quadrilateral fitting algorithm targeting sloping quad areas in images taken at a container terminal. Experimental results on a dataset of container images from the Shanghai Port demonstrate superior performance compared to existing algorithms, achieving a recognition accuracy rate of up to 98.7%. Furthermore, an ablation study confirms that our EOCR significantly enhances recognition accuracy while ensuring real-time performance.

Greening container terminals: An innovative and cost-effective solution for sustainable reefer container storage

This research addresses the critical necessity for energy-efficient solutions in port operations. The primary objective of this paper is to introduce and assess the viability of an innovative infrastructure termed Underground Reefer Container Storage (URCS) devised to mitigate the significant and increasing energy demand posed by reefer containers in ports. This study employs a discrete-event simulation (DES) model to evaluate the feasibility, environmental implications, and cost-effectiveness of three distinctive URCS infrastructure designs. These designs are compared against conventional storage methods to ascertain their capacity for minimizing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis reveals that the best scenario for a specific case study involves a multi-block layout comprising two underground yards, capable of accommodating 39% of the overall refrigerated container capacity at a port. This layout cuts CO2 emissions by 61% from the 2.704 GWh/year energy used by refrigerated containers, yielding around 1.4 million USD/year cost savings. Further analyses using weighted searches to prioritize URCS container slotting led to shorter container dwell times at ports, rendering energy savings 23% higher than in similar unplanned settings. Moreover, this study presents URCS as an eco-friendly alternative for port-based reefer container storage, offering practical alignment with sustainability goals and regulations. The innovative design and its successful application provide holistic insights, paving the way for enhanced port energy management and environmental care. In addition, the implementation of URCS has the potential to reshape port procedures, yielding economic and ecological benefits. This initiative contributes to diminishing the carbon footprint of ports, aligning with global endeavors towards greener and more responsible practices.

A Research on Transportation Opportunities Between Container Ports and Logistics Focuses of Kocaeli City

Similar to world trade, container transportation and the tendency to transport various cargoes with containers is increasing in Turkey. Moreover, in a world where production centers will be relocated during Covid-19, it can be said that Turkey's production will increase and over and above expectations, container traffic in its ports will expand. We can foresee that Kocaeli City's container ports and logistic focuses will require more container transportation, due to the fact that where containerization is increasing in Turkey and around the world. In our study, transportation possibilities between container ports and logistics centers of Kocaeli city have been examined. The adequacy of the existing transportation opportunities, the needs of the sector in this context, and the perspectives of the stakeholder company managers on an alternative transportation method were examined through a semi-structured interview form. The data collected in the research were analyzed using the Kruskal Wallis H test in the IBM SPSS 22.0 program, and the hypotheses were questioned. Reconsidering alternative opportunities in transportation for the development of Kocaeli ports and logistics stakeholders in a competitive structure, increasing the road and railway transportation capacities between the ports and Köseköy Logistics center will be appropriate, a new/alternative transportation method will have a positive impact on the efficiency of the port/logistics business, inland waterway/canal to the logistics center. It has been concluded that integration with transportation may be beneficial in the future and may have a moderate impact on business volume and productivity.

Forecast combination using grey relational analysis and Choquet fuzzy integral for container throughput forecasting

Utilizing the accurate and reliable demand forecasting model for the port logistics industry decision makers, can prevent misguided decisions ensuing from inaccurate forecasting. Current forecasting models of container throughput forecasting focus on the development of single or related hybrid models. However, these studies focus on improving the forecast accuracy, while neglecting the risk of failure. Combination forecasting can improve the forecast accuracy and reduce the risks from model selection failure. The previous research on port container throughput (PCT) combination forecasting focused on using a small number of linear models to generate the combined values, and neglected the nonlinear combined models reflecting the interaction between variables. Given the significance of combination forecasting for the PCT prediction, this study establishes a nonlinear combined model using the grey relational analysis (GRA) and Choquet fuzzy integral. The empirical results indicate that the proposed combined model outperforms both the other considered linear and nonlinear models. The findings assist the port decision-makers in both the public and private sectors for understanding the future PCT, and devising timely response plans aligned with actual circumstances and trends, besides formulating the appropriate development plans and decisions to modify the current situation or sustain competitive advantages.

Unraveling intra-urban freight parking patterns: A data-driven geospatial study of shared logistics sector in Hong Kong

Insufficient urban parking in densely populated cities has led to challenges like traffic congestion and unauthorized parking. While existing literature extensively covers parking behaviors among private vehicles and taxis for commuters, limited research has been proposed centering on urban shared freight activities. It can be problematic to neglect shared freight activities because these logistics activities often require more flexible parking space for goods loading/unloading near urban destinations. This study therefore introduces a geospatial data-driven approach to investigate urban parking behaviors from shared freight activities using GPS trajectories collected in Hong Kong. The analysis involves three main folds: using rank-size distribution and log-odds ratio to comparatively examine spatial heterogeneity of parking, evaluating illegal on-street parking events via illegal parking index, and quantifying relationships between parking behaviors and urban functions using random forest (RF) and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). The findings reveal significant concentrations of parking events on weekdays/weekends and with different parking durations. Particularly, high illegal on-street parking concentration is reported in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung, where the port container terminals and industrial activities are located. We further discover that industrial and dining densities both indicate significantly positive impacts on the relationship to the increases of overall parking frequency and illegal parking index. This study can be of great interest to current parking management and enforcement strategies in cities and relevant practical implications are discussed.

Data-driven study of container handling charges in coastline ports of China

With the rapid development of networking and digitization, the data generated by various industries has shown exponential growth. The seaport industry is the fundamental industry to support the operation of the national economy, and undertakes the vast majority of China's foreign trade, materials, and coal transport along the sea. In response to some of China's major seaports of container handling charges for different extent of the upward event. In this paper, by researching the main seaports of China's coastal ports, we have obtained the level of container handling charge, and operating cost of container section. Meanwhile, this paper combines the reform history of China's port container charging policy and the comparison of domestic and foreign charging levels to discover the cost structure of the container handling charges. It establishes the benchmark for the optimization of the container handling charges. Utilizing data analysis related to production and operations, this paper proposes an optimization method of container handling charges based on the cost analysis of container port companies with macro and micro coupling and puts forward effective suggestions on this basis. This paper suggests the establishment of a mechanism for regulating container handling charges. It also proposes a mechanism for monitoring and regular announcement of container costs.

Employability skills of maintenance technicians in container ports: Implications for maritime technical and vocational education and training

The study investigated the employability skills of maintenance technicians engaged in container ports in Sri Lanka. The specific objectives were to investigate 1) employability skill gaps between technicians’ evaluations of the level of current possession and the expected level to be possessed for the current job tasks, 2) employability skill gaps between technicians’ evaluations of the expected level of skills for current job tasks and immediate superiors’ evaluation of the importance of the same for current tasks, and 3) maintenance technicians’ exposure to skill development strategies after joining the respective container port terminals. The study was conducted in the two main container ports of Sri Lanka- Colombo and Hambantota. Responses were pooled from two independent sample groups- maintenance technicians and their immediate superiors. Maintenance technicians had graduated from technical and vocational education and training institutions with levels 3 or 4 National Vocational Qualification. Findings identified employability skill preferences of maintenance technicians and their immediate superiors, which led to possible skill gaps. The findings highlight the importance of TVET institutions identifying the preferences of business sectors, they should be prepared to impart employer-preferred skills to their trainees and to bridge any gaps in expectations. This will lead employees to develop realistic expectations of employer preferences. Hence, the findings of the study have implications for technical and vocational education and training institutions, students enrolled in these institutions, employees engaged in container ports, and their employers. Highlights Employability skills are vital to be employed and to remain employed Skill gaps have consequences for job seekers, employers, and training institutes This study investigated employability skills of technicians in container ports

An integrated intermodal freight transportation system to avoid container supply chain disruptions in Chattogram Port of Bangladesh

An integrated intermodal freight transportation system is a derived demand to transport shipping containers from/to the seaport to/from the hinterland, instead of undertaking cargo loading and unloading activities in port-protected areas. The concept of the intermodal system is to transfer containers to nearby hinterland nodes, such as dry ports, inland rail, road, and river terminals as a part of port development, as well as increasing port efficiency and productivity. Lloyd’s List ranked Chattogram Port as the 67th busiest container port in the world as per container port throughput in 2022. Chattogram Port has small-scale intermodal facilities for off-docks/ICDs in the port city only. In addition, a pure intermodal system has been developed by one rail ICD in the capital city, Dhaka, and two RICTs nearby Dhaka, but less than 5 % of port throughput. A large-scale intermodal for serving the major cities, SEZs, EPZs, and industrial areas is absent due to planning and policy problems, as well as the unavailability of intermodal infrastructure and network. Due to an improper hinterland intermodal chain, the port faced container supply chain disruptions at the port yard and exceeded port capacity, resulting in container vessel congestion at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port. By developing rail and road infrastructure, and utilizing natural river connectivity, it is possible to develop road, rail, and river intermodal systems, and shape an integrated intermodal freight transportation system to avoid container supply chain disruptions in Chattogram Port. To develop an integrated intermodal system, this research chose a quantitative research methodology for port throughput data analysis and forecasting future throughputs that are advanced to the intermodal model for Chattogram Port. Overall, this paper aims to develop an integrated intermodal freight transportation system to support Chattogram Port to keep and increase the record of port productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness actively. Highlights Intermodal system is a derived demand for managing hinterland and port terminals of a seaport that needs to be implemented in Chattogram Port Container supply chain disruptions to be avoided to increase the port productivity and efficiency Inland intermodal connectivity will help to increase hinterland of a seaport It is necessary to develop an integrated intermodal freight transportation system to support Chattogram Port to keep and increase the record of port productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness globally

Changes in efficiency and physical size of container ports: An integration of genetic matching and stochastic data envelopment analysis

Benchmarking container ports of different physical sizes and figuring out the relationship between size and efficiency is complex due to the heterogeneous environment. In dealing with heterogeneity, the selection bias is often overlooked. Therefore, this study proposes an integrated multivariate genetic matching and stochastic DEA algorithm to evaluate the efficiency of container ports. It paves the way for container ports that differ in a selected feature, such as size, to be benchmarked using well-balanced clusters. Thus, the port managers can identify the most similar-featured peers in benchmarking with DEA or alternative models to acquire robust estimates without dependence on a longitudinal data set. The results of the model applied to international container ports imply the increase in size impacts efficiency negatively, while connectivity does positively, which contradicts the commonly held perception of stakeholders that the larger the container ports, the more efficient. That is, well-managed small container ports can also be as efficient. Therefore, it is concluded that the results of integrating genetic matching into the performance measurement provide beneficial inferences. In future research, clustering the observed container ports according to a specific feature and balancing clusters with multivariate genetic matching can provide valuable insights into the industry.

Collaborative Scheduling Optimization of Container Port Berths and Cranes under Low-Carbon Environment

Motivated by the need for a green and low-carbon economy, we explore the co-scheduling optimization of berths and cranes. Our aim is to balance the carbon tax and operating costs of ports under uncertain conditions, proposing an innovative nonlinear mixed-integer programming formulation. To address this optimization challenge, we have developed an enhanced version of the adaptive spiral flying dung beetle algorithm (ASFDBO). In order to evaluate the performance of the ASFDBO algorithm, we performed a benchmark function test and a convergence analysis with other recognized metaheuristics. In addition, we verified the practical applicability of the ASFDBO algorithm in different test scenarios. Through numerical experiments, we analyze the feasibility and effectiveness of the algorithm’s scheduling solutions and improvement strategies. Results indicate that our collaborative scheduling optimization, which considers both carbon and production costs, achieves feasible solutions and reduces carbon expenses. Finally, we investigate the impact of different carbon tax rates on the joint scheduling optimization of berths and quay cranes, and the results show that a reasonable carbon tax policy can effectively reduce the carbon emissions of ports.

Study on the hierarchical structure of container port systems along the South China Sea in the context of low carbon emissions

Under the low-carbon background, 37 ports of countries along the South China Sea with capacity ranking in the world’s top 100 container ports are selected as the research object to establish a shipping network, construct a directed dichotomous shipping network, and divide the port tiers after finding the kernel number by using kernel analysis method, respectively, to explore the relationship between tiers and the relationship between ports at the higher level, and then make clear the direction of the improvement for the reduction of carbon emissions. The results show that: the routes sent between container ports in countries along the South China Sea have formed a more stable connection, but the receiving routes are still in a passive position, and the port call relationship is affected by the port hierarchy. High-level ports such as Shanghai Port and Singapore Port undertake the transshipment function of cargo concentration and redistribution within the network. The small-world characteristics among ports such as Singapore Port, Ningbo Port, Haiphong Port, Shenzhen Port, Guangzhou Port, and Linchaban Port are obvious. Based on the results of the empirical analysis, corresponding suggestions are put forward to optimize the structure of the container port system in the countries along the South China Sea and promote the low-carbon development of the sea.

An application of integrated AHP and TOPSIS methodology on the choice of transshipment container port in the Eastern Mediterranean basin

In container transportation by sea, it is crucial to define the transshipment design. Liner operators desire not only to reduce operational costs but also to maximize customer satisfaction. Therefore, a transshipment hub port selection problem becomes at the front to gaining productive transshipment ability. The study aims to apply an alternative approach to determine the best transshipment hub port for a northbound container ship entering the Eastern Mediterranean basin through the Suez Channel. The proposed model consists of criteria that are weighted with the AHP method and numerical data regarding each criterion is used to rank the alternatives. Thus, as a decision-maker, the line operator can determine the transshipment port quickly using an easily applicable method upon determining the port calls and the schedules. The findings imply that connectivity is the most important criterion for the choice of transshipment hub port for containerized goods. The location was also found important for this choice, but to improve transshipment function, the proper way may be to draw beneficial strategies on maritime connectivity. On the other hand, capital investments such as superstructure improvement were found to be less important for an attractive transshipment hub.