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Challenges in Managing Empty Container Movements at Multiple Planning Levels

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  • Kris Braekers
  • Gerrit Janssens
  • An Caris

Abstract

Empty container management deals with repositioning empty containers at minimum costs while fulfilling empty container demands. Due to imbalances in trade, some areas have a surplus of empty containers, while others have a shortage. Therefore, empty containers need to be repositioned globally to make sure that sufficient empty containers are available everywhere. Besides, empty containers need to be repositioned regionally between shippers, consignees, inland depots, terminals and ports in order to fulfil demand. In this paper, the focus is on the empty container management problem at a regional level. The problem is described in detail and opportunities for reducing empty container movements are discussed. Decisions to be taken at each planning level (strategic, tactical and operational) are described, and for each planning level, a detailed overview of planning models proposed in the literature is presented. Planning models considering decisions at several planning levels are discussed as well. Finally, interesting opportunities for future research are identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Kris Braekers & Gerrit Janssens & An Caris, 2011. "Challenges in Managing Empty Container Movements at Multiple Planning Levels," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(6), pages 681-708.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:transr:v:31:y:2011:i:6:p:681-708
    DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2011.584979
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kuzmicz, Katarzyna Anna & Pesch, Erwin, 2019. "Approaches to empty container repositioning problems in the context of Eurasian intermodal transportation," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 194-213.
    2. Goh, Shao Hung & Chan, Yuxian, 2016. "Operational shadow pricing in back haul container shipping," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 3-15.
    3. Mittal, Neha & Boile, Maria & Baveja, Alok & Theofanis, Sotiris, 2013. "Determining optimal inland-empty-container depot locations under stochastic demand," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 50-60.
    4. Hjortnaes, T. & Wiegmans, B. & Negenborn, R.R. & Zuidwijk, R.A. & Klijnhout, R., 2017. "Minimizing cost of empty container repositioning in port hinterlands, while taking repair operations into account," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 209-219.
    5. Numa-Navarro, Ian & Wilmsmeier, Gordon & Gil, Cristiam, 2023. "Improving empty container management using street-turn: A case study of the Colombian logistics network," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Zhang, Ruiyou & Lu, Jye-Chyi & Wang, Dingwei, 2014. "Container drayage problem with flexible orders and its near real-time solution strategies," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 235-251.
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. Shiri, Samaneh & Huynh, Nathan, 2016. "Optimization of drayage operations with time-window constraints," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 7-20.
    11. 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.
    12. Dongping Song, 2021. "A Literature Review, Container Shipping Supply Chain: Planning Problems and Research Opportunities," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-26, June.
    13. Lee, Chung-Yee & Song, Dong-Ping, 2017. "Ocean container transport in global supply chains: Overview and research opportunities," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 442-474.
    14. Bouchery, Yann & Woxenius, Johan & Fransoo, Jan C., 2020. "Identifying the market areas of port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 285(2), pages 599-611.
    15. Xinan Yang & Hajem A. Daham, 2020. "A column generation-based decomposition and aggregation approach for combining orders in inland transportation of containers," OR Spectrum: Quantitative Approaches in Management, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research e.V., vol. 42(1), pages 261-296, March.
    16. Xing, Xinjie & Song, Dongping & Qiu, Chengfeng & Drake, Paul R. & Zhan, Yuanzhu, 2023. "Joint tank container demurrage policy and flow optimisation using a progressive hedging algorithm with expanded time-space network," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(2), pages 663-679.
    17. Jeong, Yoonjea & Saha, Subrata & Chatterjee, Debajyoti & Moon, Ilkyeong, 2018. "Direct shipping service routes with an empty container management strategy," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 123-142.
    18. Dandan Chen & Yong Zhang & Liangpeng Gao & Russell G. Thompson, 2019. "Optimizing Multimodal Transportation Routes Considering Container Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    19. 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.
    20. Funke, Julia & Kopfer, Herbert, 2016. "A model for a multi-size inland container transportation problem," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 70-85.
    21. Yi Zhao & Qingwan Xue & Xi Zhang, 2018. "Stochastic Empty Container Repositioning Problem with CO 2 Emission Considerations for an Intermodal Transportation System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-24, November.
    22. 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.

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