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Dynamic Space and Time Partitioning for Yard Crane Workload Management in Container Terminals

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  • Xi Guo

    (School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798)

  • Shell Ying Huang

    (School of Computer Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798)

Abstract

We propose a new hierarchical scheme for yard crane (YC) workload management in container terminals. We also propose a time partitioning algorithm and a space partitioning algorithm for deploying YCs to handle changing job arrival patterns in a row of yard blocks. The main differences between our approach and most of the methods in literature are (1) the average vehicle job waiting time instead of the number of jobs is used to balance YC workload and to evaluate the quality of a partition, (2) the YC working zone assignment is not in units of yard blocks and our space partitioning algorithm generates more flexible divisions of the workload from all blocks, and (3) the YC deployment frequency is not fixed but is decided by our time partitioning algorithm with the objective of minimizing average vehicle waiting times. The scheme combines simulation and optimization to achieve our objective for a row of yard blocks. Experimental results show that the proposed binary partitioning algorithm TP2 makes substantial improvements in job waiting times over the basic partitioning scheme and another existing algorithm (Ng, W. C. 2005. Crane scheduling in container yards with intercrane interference. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 164 (1) 64--78) in all tested job arrival scenarios.

Suggested Citation

  • Xi Guo & Shell Ying Huang, 2012. "Dynamic Space and Time Partitioning for Yard Crane Workload Management in Container Terminals," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(1), pages 134-148, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:46:y:2012:i:1:p:134-148
    DOI: 10.1287/trsc.1110.0383
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cao, Zhi & Lee, Der-Horng & Meng, Qiang, 2008. "Deployment strategies of double-rail-mounted gantry crane systems for loading outbound containers in container terminals," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 221-228, September.
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    6. Lee, Der-Horng & Cao, Zhi & Meng, Qiang, 2007. "Scheduling of two-transtainer systems for loading outbound containers in port container terminals with simulated annealing algorithm," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(1), pages 115-124, May.
    7. Chen, Lu & Bostel, Nathalie & Dejax, Pierre & Cai, Jianguo & Xi, Lifeng, 2007. "A tabu search algorithm for the integrated scheduling problem of container handling systems in a maritime terminal," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 181(1), pages 40-58, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Damla Kizilay & Deniz Türsel Eliiyi, 2021. "A comprehensive review of quay crane scheduling, yard operations and integrations thereof in container terminals," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-42, March.
    3. Buddhi A. Weerasinghe & H. Niles Perera & Xiwen Bai, 2024. "Optimizing container terminal operations: a systematic review of operations research applications," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 26(2), pages 307-341, June.
    4. Shell Ying Huang & Ya Li, 2017. "Yard crane scheduling to minimize total weighted vessel loading time in container terminals," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 689-720, December.
    5. Wiercx, Max & van Kalmthout, Martijn & Wiegmans, Bart, 2019. "Inland waterway terminal yard configuration contributing to sustainability: Modeling yard operations," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 4-16.
    6. Carlo, Héctor J. & Vis, Iris F.A. & Roodbergen, Kees Jan, 2014. "Storage yard operations in container terminals: Literature overview, trends, and research directions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 235(2), pages 412-430.
    7. Chenhao Zhou & Qitong Zhao & Haobin Li, 2021. "Simulation optimization iteration approach on traffic integrated yard allocation problem in transshipment terminals," Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 663-688, September.
    8. Miguel Hervás-Peralta & Sara Poveda-Reyes & Gemma Dolores Molero & Francisco Enrique Santarremigia & Juan-Pascual Pastor-Ferrando, 2019. "Improving the Performance of Dry and Maritime Ports by Increasing Knowledge about the Most Relevant Functionalities of the Terminal Operating System (TOS)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, March.
    9. Yu, Dayong & Li, Dong & Sha, Mei & Zhang, Dali, 2019. "Carbon-efficient deployment of electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes in container terminals with workload uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 275(2), pages 552-569.
    10. Yong Wu & Wenkai Li & Matthew E. H. Petering & Mark Goh & Robert de Souza, 2015. "Scheduling Multiple Yard Cranes with Crane Interference and Safety Distance Requirement," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 990-1005, November.
    11. Roy, Debjit & de Koster, René, 2018. "Stochastic modeling of unloading and loading operations at a container terminal using automated lifting vehicles," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 266(3), pages 895-910.
    12. Schwientek, Anne Kathrina & Lange, Ann-Kathrin & Holzner, Markus & Thomsen, Margit & Jahn, Carlos, 2018. "Integrating layout planning and simulation for logistic nodes," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Jahn, Carlos & Kersten, Wolfgang & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Logistics 4.0 and Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Innovative Solutions for Logistics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Context of In, volume 26, pages 21-39, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.

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