Skip to main content

Literature Review on Container Handling in the Yard Area

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Container Handling in Automated Yard Blocks

Part of the book series: Contributions to Management Science ((MANAGEMENT SC.))

  • 598 Accesses

Abstract

A wide-ranging literature review is conducted in this chapter surveying container handling problems in the time-span 1997–2018. The problems of the surveyed studies are systematically classified according to the scheme described in the previous chapter and compared based on key properties for practical yard block planning as well as for a theoretical analysis of container stacking. These include the problem scope, the planning hierarchy, time and input data properties and the modelling and solution methods among others. The results are presented in an extensive table classifying each of the 61 studies surveyed according to ten problem properties. Based on this, the main conclusions about each property are extracted and summarised in order to identify the key research streams in container handling in yard blocks. Afterwards, the literature review is aligned with other literature reviews in this field and a conclusion is given in order to provide a comprehensive overview of container handling problems. Eventually, this should support the identification of open questions in existing problems and the initialisation of new research streams in future research.

Adapted version of the contribution A Literature Review on Container Handling in Yard Block in: Covic, F. A Literature Review on Container Handling in Yard Blocks. In Cerulli, R.; Raiconi, A. and Voß S., editors, Computational Logistics, ICCL 2018, volume 11184 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 139–167. Springer, Cham, 2018.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Change history

  • 01 May 2019

    The book was incorrectly published with the wrong footnotes for chapters 4, 7 and 8. This has been updated in this book.

Notes

  1. 1.

    For reasons of compactness, abbreviations within the classification properties are used in Table 4.1

  2. 2.

    See also the literature review by Carlo et al. (2014) who name only two studies on the RMP explicitly.

  3. 3.

    Objectives targeting yard crane performance are summarised under ‘Yard crane’.

References

  • Akyüz MH, Lee CY (2014) A mathematical formulation and efficient heuristics for the dynamic container relocation problem. Naval Res Logist 61 (2): 101–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bierwirth C, Meisel F (2015) A follow-up survey of berth allocation and quay crane scheduling problems in container terminals. Eur J Oper Res 244 (3): 675–689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borgman B, Asperen E van, Dekker R (2010) Online rules for container stacking. OR Spectr 32 (3): 687–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borjian S, Manshadi VH, Barnhart C, Jaillet P (2013) Dynamic stochastic optimization of relocations in container terminals. Working paper, MIT

    Google Scholar 

  • Bortfeldt A, Forster F (2012) A tree search procedure for the container pre-marshalling problem. Eur J Oper Res 217 (3): 531–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruns F, Knust S, Shakhlevich NV (2016) Complexity results for storage loading problems with stacking constraints. Eur J Oper Res 249 (3): 1074–1081

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlo HJ, Vis IFA, Roodbergen KJ (2014) Storage yard operations in container terminals: Literature overview, trends, and research directions. Eur J Oper Res 235 (2): 412–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caserta M, Voß S (2009) A corridor method-based algorithm for the pre-marshalling problem. In: Giacobini M, Brabazon A, Cagnoni S, Di Caro GA, Ekárt A, Esparcia-Alcázar AI, Farooq M, Fink A, Machado P (eds) Applications of evolutionary computing, EvoWorkshops 2009. Volume 5484 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 788–797

    Google Scholar 

  • Caserta M, Schwarze S, Voß S (2009) A new binary description of the blocks relocation problem and benefits in a look ahead heuristic. In: Cotta C, Cowling P (eds) Evolutionary computation in combinatorial optimization, EvoCOP 2009. Volume 5482 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 37–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Caserta M, Schwarze S, Voß S (2011a) Container rehandling at maritime container terminals. In: Böse JW (ed) Handbook of terminal planning. Volume 49 of operations research/computer science interfaces series. Springer, New York, pp 247–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Caserta M, Voß S, Sniedovich M (2011b) Applying the corridor method to a blocks relocation problem. OR Spectr 33 (4): 915–929

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caserta M, Schwarze S, Voß S (2012) A mathematical formulation and complexity considerations for the blocks relocation problem. Eur J Oper Res 219 (1): 96–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen L, Lu Z (2012) The storage location assignment problem for outbound containers in a maritime terminal. Int J Prod Econ 135 (1): 73–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choe R, Park T, Oh MS, Kang J, Ryu KR (2011) Generating a rehandling-free intra-block remarshaling plan for an automated container yard. J Intell Manuf 22 (2): 201–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Covic F (2017) Re-marshalling in automated container yards with terminal appointment systems. Flex Serv Manuf J 29 (3–4): 433–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Covic F (2018) A literature review on container handling in yard blocks. In: Cerulli R, Raiconi A, Voß S (eds) Computational logistics, ICCL 2018. Volume 11184 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Cham, pp 139–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Dekker R, Voogd P, Asperen E van (2007) Advanced methods for container stacking. In: Kim KH, Günther HO (eds) Container terminals and cargo systems. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 131–154

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Duinkerken MB, Evers JJM, Ottjes JA (2001) A simulation model for integrating quay transport and stacking policies on automated container terminals. In: Proceedings of the 15th European simulation multiconference, Prague, pp 909–916

    Google Scholar 

  • Expósito-Izquierdo C, Melián-Batista B, Moreno-Vega M (2012) Pre-marshalling problem: heuristic solution method and instances generator. Expert Syst Appl 39 (9): 8337–8349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galle V, Barnhart C, Jaillet P (2018) A new binary formulation of the restricted container relocation problem based on a binary encoding of configurations. Eur J Oper Res 267 (2): 467–477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han Y, Lee LH, Chew EP, Tan KC (2008) A yard storage strategy for minimizing traffic congestion in a marine container transshipment hub. OR Spectr 30 (4): 697–720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hottung A, Tierney K (2016) A biased random-key genetic algorithm for the container pre-marshalling problem. Comput Oper Res 75: 83–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang SH, Lin TH (2012) Heuristic algorithms for container pre-marshalling problems. Comput Ind Eng 62 (1): 13–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang X, Lee LH, Chew EP, Han Y, Tan KC (2012) A container yard storage strategy for improving land utilization and operation efficiency in a transshipment hub port. Eur J Oper Res 221 (1): 64–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin JG, Lee DH, Cao JX (2016) Storage yard management in maritime container terminals. Transp Sci 50 (4): 1300–1313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jovanovic R, Voß S (2014) A chain heuristic for the blocks relocation problem. Comput Ind Eng 75: 79–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jovanovic R, Tuba M, Voß S (2017) A multi-heuristic approach for solving the pre-marshalling problem. Cent Eur J Oper Res 25 (1): 1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang J, Oh MS, Ahn EY, Ryu KR, Kim KH (2006a) Planning for intra-block remarshalling in a container terminal. In: Ali M, Dapoigny R (eds) Advances in applied artificial intelligence, IEA/AIE 2006. Volume 4031 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 1211–1220

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kang J, Ryu KR, Kim KH (2006b) Deriving stacking strategies for export containers with uncertain weight information. J Intell Manuf 17 (4): 399–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kemme N (2013) Design and operation of automated container storage systems. Contributions to management science, 1st edn. Physica, Heidelberg

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KH (1997) Evaluation of the number of rehandles in container yards. Comput Ind Eng 32 (4): 701–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KH, Bae JW (1998) Re-marshalling export containers in port container terminals. Comput Ind Eng 35 (3–4): 655–658

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KH, Hong GP (2006) A heuristic rule for relocating blocks. Comput Oper Res 33 (4): 940–954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KH, Park KT (2003) A note on a dynamic space-allocation method for outbound containers. Eur J Oper Res 148 (1): 92–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim KH, Park YM, Ryu KR (2000) Deriving decision rules to locate export containers in container yards. Eur J Oper Res 124 (1): 89–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozan E, Preston P (2006) Mathematical modelling of container transfers and storage locations at seaport terminals. OR Spectr 28 (4): 519–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ku D (2014) Rehandling problem of pickup containers under truck appointment system. In: Hwang D, Jung JJ, Nguyen NT (eds) Computational collective intelligence. Technologies and applications, ICCCI 2014. Volume 8733 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Cham, pp 272–281

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ku D, Arthanari TS (2016a) On the abstraction method for the container relocation problem. Comput Oper Res 68: 110–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ku D, Arthanari TS (2016b) Container relocation problem with time windows for container departure. Eur J Oper Res 252 (3): 1031–1039

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee DH, Jin JG, Chen JH (2012) Terminal and yard allocation problem for a container transshipment hub with multiple terminals. Transp Res E Logist Transp Rev 48 (2): 516–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee Y, Chao SL (2009) A neighborhood search heuristic for pre-marshalling export containers. Eur J Oper Res 196 (2): 468–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee Y, Hsu NY (2007) An optimization model for the container pre-marshalling problem. Comput Oper Res 34 (11): 3295–3313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lim A, Xu Z (2006) A critical-shaking neighborhood search for the yard allocation problem. Eur J Oper Res 174 (2): 1247–1259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo J, Wu Y, Halldorsson A, Song X (2011) Storage and stacking logistics problems in container terminals. OR Insight 24 (4): 256–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murty KG, Liu J, Wan Y, Linn R (2005a) A decision support system for operations in a container terminal. Decis Support Syst 39 (3): 309–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murty KG, Wan Y, Liu J, Tseng MM, Leung E, Lai KK, Chiu HWC (2005b) Hongkong international terminals gains elastic capacity using a data-intensive decision-support system. Interfaces 35 (1): 61–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park K, Park T, Ryu KR (2009) Planning for remarshaling in an automated container terminal using cooperative coevolutionary algorithms. In: Proceedings of the 2009 ACM symposium on applied computing, SAC 2009, Honolulu, pp 1098–1105

    Google Scholar 

  • Park T, Choe R, Kim YH, Ryu KR (2011) Dynamic adjustment of container stacking policy in an automated container terminal. Int J Prod Econ 133 (1): 385–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petering MEH, Hussein MI (2013) A new mixed integer program and extended look-ahead heuristic algorithm for the block relocation problem. Eur J Oper Res 231 (1): 120–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preston P, Kozan E (2001) An approach to determine storage locations of containers at seaport terminals. Comput Oper Res 28 (10): 983–995

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rendl A, Prandtstetter M (2013) Constraint models for the container pre-marshaling problem. In: Katsirelos G, Quimper CG (eds) 12th international workshop on constraint modelling and reformulationm modRef, Uppsala, vol 13, pp 44–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Ries J, González-Ramírez RG, Miranda P (2014) A fuzzy logic model for the container stacking problem at container terminals. In: González-Ramírez RG, Schulte F, Voß S, Ceroni Díaz JA (eds) Computational logisitcs, ICCL 2014. Volume 8760 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Cham, pp 93–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Saurí S, Martín E (2011) Space allocating strategies for improving import yard performance at marine terminals. Transp Res E Logist Transp Rev 47 (6): 1038–1057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharif O, Huynh N (2013) Storage space allocation at marine container terminals using ant-based control. Exp Syst Appl 40 (6): 2323–2330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka S, Mizuno F (2008) An exact algorithm for the unrestricted block relocation problem. Comput Oper Res 95: 12–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka S, Tierney K (2018) Solving real-world sized container pre-marshalling problems with an iterative deepening branch-and-bound algorithm. Eur J Oper Res 264 (1): 165–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang L, Jiang W, Liu J, Dong Y (2015) Research into container reshuffling and stacking problems in container terminal yards. IIE Trans 47 (7): 751–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tierney K, Voß S (2016) Solving the robust container pre-marshalling problem. In: Paias A, Ruthmair M, Voß S (eds) Computational logistics, ICCL 2016. Volume 9855 of lecture notes in computer science. Springer, Cham, pp 131–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney K, Pacino D, Voß S (2017) Solving the pre-marshalling problem to optimality with A* and IDA*. Flex Serv Manuf J 29 (2): 223–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ting CJ, Wu KC (2017) Optimizing container relocation operations at container yards with beam search. Transp Res E Logist Transp Rev 103: 17–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tricoire F, Scagnetti J, Beham A (2018) New insights on the block relocation problem. Comput Oper Res 89: 127–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ünlüyurt T, Aydın C (2012) Improved rehandling strategies for the container retrieval process. J Adv Transp 46 (4): 378–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Asperen E, Borgman B, Dekker R (2013) Evaluating impact of truck announcements on container stacking efficiency. Flex Serv Manuf J 25 (4): 543–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan Y, Liu J, Tsai PC (2009) The assignment of storage locations to containers for a container stack. Naval Res Logist 56 (8): 699–713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang N, Jin B, Zhang Z, Lim A (2017) A feasibility-based heuristic for the container pre-marshalling problem. Eur J Oper Res 256 (1): 90–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu M, Qi X (2013) Storage space allocation models for inbound containers in an automatic container terminal. Eur J Oper Res 226 (1): 32–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu VF, Cheng HY, Ting HI (2009) Optimizing re-marshalling operation in export container terminals. In: Proceedings of the Asia Pacific industrial engineering & management systems conference, APIEMS 2009, Kitakyushu, pp 2934–2938

    Google Scholar 

  • Zehendner E, Feillet D (2014) Branch and price approach for the container relocation problem. Int J Prod Res 52 (24): 7159–7176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zehendner E, Caserta M, Feillet D, Schwarze S, Voß S (2015) An improved mathematical formulation for the blocks relocation problem. Eur J Oper Res 245 (2): 415–422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zehendner E, Feillet D, Jaillet P (2017) An algorithm with performance guarantee for the online container relocation problem. Eur J Oper Res 259 (1): 48–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Liu J, Wan Y, Murty KG, Linn RL (2003) Storage space allocation in container terminals. Transp Res Part B Methodol 37 (10): 883–903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Chen W, Shi L, Zheng L (2010) A note on deriving decision rules to locate export containers in container yards. Eur J Oper Res 205 (2): 483–485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao W, Goodchild AV (2010) The impact of truck arrival information on container terminal rehandling. Transp Res E Logist Transp Rev 46 (3): 327–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhen L (2014) Storage allocation in transshipment hubs under uncertainties. Int J Prod Res 52 (1): 72–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Covic, F. (2019). Literature Review on Container Handling in the Yard Area. In: Container Handling in Automated Yard Blocks. Contributions to Management Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05291-1_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics