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An integrated container management model for optimizing slot allocation plan and empty container repositioning

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Maritime Economics & Logistics Aims and scope

Abstract

This article proposes an integrated container management model to jointly optimize slot allocation plan for loaded containers and reposition for empty containers in a shipping network. The proposed model employs linear programming to formulate loaded and empty container shipping problems in a bi-level structure. In upper level the loaded container slot allocation plan aims to maximize operational profits for each service route; whereas in lower level the reposition of empty containers aims to minimize transportation costs for the entire shipping network. The surplus or deficient empty containers resulted from the upper problem are fed into the lower problem. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model, a real case of an intra-Asian short-sea container carrier is presented. The results show that the proposed model can serve as a decision support tool to facilitate the liner to ship the loaded and empty containers in a coordinative way.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere thanks to reviewers and editor-in-chief for their insightful comments and constructive suggestions to level up the quality of this article. Our special thanks also go to Peter Wu, Chair Professor of China University of Science and Technology, for helping us polish the English writing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aviation Services and Management, China University of Science and Technology, No.200, Zhonghua St., Hengshan Township, Hsinchu County 312, Taiwan, R.O.C.

    Chia-hui Chang & Mee Lee

  2. Department of Transportation and Logistics Management, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan

    Lawrence W Lan

Authors
  1. Chia-hui Chang
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  2. Lawrence W Lan
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  3. Mee Lee
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Appendices

Appendix A

Table A1

Table A1 Notations
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Appendix B

Table B1

Table B1 An optimal slot allocation plan for Service Route B
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Appendix C

Table C1

Table C1 An optimal slot allocation plan for Service Route C
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Appendix D

Table D1

Table D1 An optimal slot allocation plan for Service Route D
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Chang, Ch., Lan, L. & Lee, M. An integrated container management model for optimizing slot allocation plan and empty container repositioning. Marit Econ Logist 17, 315–340 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/mel.2014.23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/mel.2014.23

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