Liner Ship Fleet Planning

Liner Ship Fleet Planning: Models and Algorithms systematically introduces the latest research on modeling and optimization for liner ship fleet planning with demand uncertainty. Container shipping companies have struggled since the financial crisis of 2007-2008, making it critical for them to make informed decisions about their fleet planning and development. Current and future shipping professionals require systematic approaches for investigating and solving their fleet planning problems, as well as methodologies for addressing their other shipping responsibilities. Liner Ship Fleet Planning addresses these needs, providing the most recent quantitative research of liner shipping in maritime transportation. The research and methods provided assist those tasked with optimizing shipping efficiency and fleet deployment in the face of uncertain demand. Suitable for those with any level of quantitative background, the book serves as a valuable resource for both maritime academics, and shipping professionals involved in planning and scheduling departments. Introduces the latest research on maritime transportation problems Analyzes problems of liner ship fleet planning, taking uncertainty into account Promotes the use of mathematics to manage uncertainty, using stochastic programming models, and proposing solution algorithms to solve proposed models Includes case studies that provide detailed examples of real-world examples of fleet optimization Explains how stochastic programming modeling methods and solution algorithms can be applied to other research fields featuring uncertainty, such as container yard planning, berth allocation and vehicle deployment problems

This monograph addresses several critical problems to the operations of shipping lines and ports, and provides algorithms and mathematical models for use by shipping lines and port authorities for decision support. One of these problems is the repositioning of container ships in a liner shipping network in order to adjust the network to seasonal shifts in demand or changes in the world economy. We provide the first problem description and mathematical model of repositioning and define the liner shipping fleet repositioning problem (LSFRP). The LSFRP is characterized by chains of interacting activities with a multi-commodity flow over paths defined by the activities chosen. We first model the problem without cargo flows with a variety of well-known optimization techniques, as well as using a novel method called linear temporal optimization planning that combines linear programming with partial-order planning in a branch-and-bound framework. We then model the LSFRP with cargo flows, using several different mathematical models as well as two heuristic approaches. We evaluate our techniques on a real-world dataset that includes a scenario from our industrial collaborator. We show that our approaches scale to the size of problems faced by industry, and are also able to improve the profit on the reference scenario by over US$14 million.

This monograph addresses several critical problems to the operations of shipping lines and ports, and provides algorithms and mathematical models for use by shipping lines and port authorities for decision support. One of these problems is the repositioning of container ships in a liner shipping network in order to adjust the network to seasonal shifts in demand or changes in the world economy. We provide the first problem description and mathematical model of repositioning and define the liner shipping fleet repositioning problem (LSFRP). The LSFRP is characterized by chains of interacting activities with a multi-commodity flow over paths defined by the activities chosen. We first model the problem without cargo flows with a variety of well-known optimization techniques, as well as using a novel method called linear temporal optimization planning that combines linear programming with partial-order planning in a branch-and-bound framework. We then model the LSFRP with cargo flows, using several different mathematical models as well as two heuristic approaches. We evaluate our techniques on a real-world dataset that includes a scenario from our industrial collaborator. We show that our approaches scale to the size of problems faced by industry, and are also able to improve the profit on the reference scenario by over US$14 million.

​The liner shipping network design delivers schedules and routes for ships that continuously visit harbours on a closed round trip. Examples of such ships are container ships that in many cases maintain a weekly harbour visiting frequency. Volker Windeck elaborates a liner shipping network design approach which is not only considering the harbours to be visited, cargo to be transported and number of ships available, but also considers environmental influences. Additionally the revenue contribution of alternative propulsion system can also be analysed. Extensive numerical tests indicate that significant savings are obtained when using this liner shipping network design approach.

This remarkable volume highlights the importance of Production and Operations Management (POM) as a field of study and research contributing to substantial business and social growth. The editors emphasize how POM works with a range of systems—agriculture, disaster management, e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, military systems, not-for-profit, retail, sports, sustainability, telecommunications, and transport—and how it contributes to the growth of each. Martin K. Starr and Sushil K. Gupta gather an international team of experts to provide researchers and students with a panoramic vision of the field. Divided into eight parts, the book presents the history of POM, and establishes the foundation upon which POM has been built while also revisiting and revitalizing topics that have long been essential. It examines the significance of processes and projects to the fundamental growth of the POM field. Critical emerging themes and new research are examined with open minds and this is followed by opportunities to interface with other business functions. Finally, the next era is discussed in ways that combine practical skill with philosophy in its analysis of POM, including traditional and nontraditional applications, before concluding with the editors’ thoughts on the future of the discipline. Students of POM will find this a comprehensive, definitive resource on the state of the discipline and its future directions.

1. Maritime trade evolutions and port city developments in Asia. 1. Introduction. 2. Evolution of Asia's maritime trade. 3. Asia port developments in the 1990s and beyond. 4. Factors of port competitiveness and development. 5. Lessons to be learnt. 6. Conclusions. 7. References -- 2. Recent development of maritime logistics. 1. Development trends on global container shipping. 2. Liner shipping. 3. Ports. 4. Conclusions. 5. References -- 3. Scenario analysis for Hong Kong port development under changing business environment. 1. Introduction. 2. Literature review. 3. Changing business environment for HKP. 4. A MIP model. 5. Experimental design. 6. Results, analysis and findings. 7. Conclusions and future work. 8. References -- 4. Models for port competitive analysis in Asia-Pacific region. 1. Introduction. 2. Literature review. 3. Port benchmarking models. 4. Conclusion and discussion. 5. References -- 5. Is port throughput a port output? 1. Introduction. 2. Port production function. 3. Port operating options. 4. Port resource function. 5. Container port output. 6. Port interchange service measures. 7. Conclusion. 8. References -- 6. A framework for modelling and benchmarking maritime clusters : an application to the maritime cluster of Piraeus. 1. Introduction. 2. Conceptual definition : cluster theory and maritime clusters. 3. The concept of maritime clusters. 4. Spatial paradigm : the greater area of Piraeus. 5. Methods for evaluating and benchmarking maritime clusters. 6. Computational methods for simulation and life-cycle management of maritime clusters. 7. Conclusions. 8. References

This book is focused on the impact of ocean transport logistics on global supply chains. It is the first book solely dedicated to the topic, linking the interaction of parties along this chain, including shippers, terminal operators and line carriers. While ocean container transport logistics has been greatly studied, there are many important issues that have yet to receive the attention they deserve. The editors and contributing authors of Ocean Container Transport Logistics: Making Global Supply Chain Effective seek to address these topics and shed new light on the subject. The book is divided into three parts. Part I examines the innovation, trends, competition and business model of container terminal operations. In Part II, the book looks at how tactical and operational management is used in shipping liners. The chapters cover topics such as empty container repositioning, slow steaming, routing, network design and disruption management. Finally Part III explores at shippers and global supply chain management, with chapters on transportation service procurement, hinterland transportation, green corridors, as well as competition and co-operation in maritime logistics operations. The eighteen chapters of the book all highlight the immediate effect of ocean transport logistics on global supply chain.