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Effectiveness of an empty container repositioning policy with flexible destination ports

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  • Song, Dong-Ping
  • Dong, Jing-Xin

Abstract

This paper considers an empty container repositioning policy with flexible destination ports. The policy only specifies the direction of the empty flows, whereas ports of destinations are not determined in advance and empty containers are unloaded from vessels as needed. Interviews with industries show its application in practice, but little research has been reported on its effectiveness. The purpose of the paper is to formulate this policy mathematically and evaluate its effectiveness via simulation. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the new policy outperforms the conventional policy significantly in situations where trade demands are imbalanced and container fleet sizes are within a reasonable range.

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  • Song, Dong-Ping & Dong, Jing-Xin, 2011. "Effectiveness of an empty container repositioning policy with flexible destination ports," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 92-101, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:18:y:2011:i:1:p:92-101
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    Cited by:

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    3. Wang, Shuaian & Liu, Zhiyuan & Bell, Michael G.H., 2015. "Profit-based maritime container assignment models for liner shipping networks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 59-76.
    4. Zirui Liang & Ryuichi Shibasaki & Yuji Hoshino, 2021. "Do Foldable Containers Enhance Efficient Empty Container Repositioning under Demand Fluctuation?—Case of the Pacific Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.
    5. Wang, Shuaian & Meng, Qiang, 2012. "Robust schedule design for liner shipping services," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(6), pages 1093-1106.
    6. Wang, Shuaian, 2013. "Essential elements in tactical planning models for container liner shipping," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 84-99.
    7. Lei Xing & Hong Yan & Yandong Yin & Qi Xu, 2021. "Research on the Optimization of Empty Container Repositioning of China Railway Express in Cooperation with International Liner Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Valentin Carlan & Christa Sys & Thierry Vanelslander, 2019. "Innovation in Road Freight Transport: Quantifying the Environmental Performance of Operational Cost-Reducing Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-26, April.
    9. Meng, Qiang & Wang, Shuaian, 2012. "Liner ship fleet deployment with week-dependent container shipment demand," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 222(2), pages 241-252.
    10. Li, Ling & Wang, Bin & Cook, David P., 2015. "Reprint of “Enhancing green supply chain initiatives via empty container reuse”," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 109-123.
    11. Xing, Xinjie & Drake, Paul R. & Song, Dongping & Zhou, Yang, 2019. "Tank Container Operators’ profit maximization through dynamic operations planning integrated with the quotation-booking process under multiple uncertainties," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 274(3), pages 924-946.
    12. Wang, Shuaian & Meng, Qiang & Bell, Michael G.H., 2013. "Liner ship route capacity utilization estimation with a bounded polyhedral container shipment demand pattern," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 57-76.
    13. Zheng, Jianfeng & Sun, Zhuo & Gao, Ziyou, 2015. "Empty container exchange among liner carriers," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 158-169.
    14. Najafi, Mehdi & Zolfagharinia, Hossein, 2021. "Pricing and quality setting strategy in maritime transportation: Considering empty repositioning and demand uncertainty," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    15. Wong, Eugene Y.C. & Tai, Allen H. & Raman, Mardjuki, 2015. "A maritime container repositioning yield-based optimization model with uncertain upsurge demand," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 147-161.
    16. Wang, Shuaian & Liu, Zhiyuan & Meng, Qiang, 2015. "Segment-based alteration for container liner shipping network design," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 128-145.
    17. Jahn, Carlos & Schlingmeier, Johannes, 2014. "Cooperation in Empty Container Logistics," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Blecker, Thorsten & Kersten, Wolfgang & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Innovative Methods in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Current Issues and Emerging Practices. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conferenc, volume 19, pages 499-514, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    18. Chen, Jingxu & Jia, Shuai & Wang, Shuaian & Liu, Zhiyuan, 2018. "Subloop-based reversal of port rotation directions for container liner shipping network alteration," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 336-361.
    19. Li, Ling & Wang, Bin & Cook, David P., 2014. "Enhancing green supply chain initiatives via empty container reuse," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 190-204.

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