Policies for Positioning Empty Containers in an Inland Multi-depot System

Vinh Quang Dang, Izabela Ewa Nielsen, Won-Young Yun

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceedingArticle in proceedingResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

This research focuses on the problem of positioning empty containers in a port area with multiple depots. Three options are considered to prepare the required extent of positioning: positioning from other overseas ports, inland positioning between depots, and leasing. The policies for empty-container management are as follows: a coordinated (s, S) inventory policy for overseas positioning, (ri, Ri) policy at each depot for inland positioning; and a simple leasing policy with zero lead-time. For inland positioning policy, four different methods are proposed to reposition empty containers between depots. Customer demands and returning containers in depots and lead-time for positioning from overseas are considered as uncertain factors. The objective is to obtain the optimal policy in order to minimize the expected total cost including inventory holding, overseas positioning, inland positioning and leasing costs. Different optimal policies are obtained corresponding to different methods of inland positioning and they are then compared with those of non-inland-positioning (NIP) policy so as to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A simulation-based genetic algorithm is developed to find the optimal policies. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the results.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of International Conference on Industrial Engineering and System Management
EditorsLyes Benyoucef , Damien Trentesaux, Abdelhakim Artiba , Nidhal Rezg
Number of pages10
Place of PublicationFrance
PublisherI4e2
Publication date4 Oct 2011
Pages66-75
ISBN (Electronic)978-2-9600532-3-4
Publication statusPublished - 4 Oct 2011
Event2011 International Conference on Industrial Engineering and System Management: Innovative Approaches and Technologies for Networked Manufacturing Enterprises Management - , France
Duration: 25 May 201127 May 2011

Conference

Conference2011 International Conference on Industrial Engineering and System Management
Country/TerritoryFrance
Period25/05/201127/05/2011

Keywords

  • Empty Containers
  • Inventory Policies
  • Simulation
  • Genetic Algorithm

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