Delimiting port hinterlands based on intermodal network flows: Model and algorithm

This study aims to propose a tangible approach to delimiting the probabilistic hinterland of a port of interest. We first build a geometric model for the probabilistic port hinterland based on intermodal network flows jointly using discrete choice analysis and geographical information of shippers. We further design an algorithm that can efficiently determine the hinterland boundaries using the sample approximation of shippers’ choice probabilities. We provide theoretical results that characterize the minimum computational effort required to achieve a certain degree of accuracy in the sample approximation. We also offer two numerical case studies to justify the proposed approach.     

Improving rural accessibility by locating multimodal mobility hubs

In rural regions, public transportation is often characterized by low accessibility as well as long waiting and travel times. In order to improve rural transportation systems, public decision-makers intend to implement alternative on-demand mobility modes. Herein, new intermodal travel itineraries with transfers at multimodal mobility hubs may enable faster public connections and thereby strengthen public transportation. Against this background, we present a decision support tool for locating multimodal mobility hubs to improve intermodal accessibility. As objectives, we aim at maximizing accessibility to workplaces and to places of private need. Our model decides on locations of multimodal mobility hubs and on the available on-demand mobility modes offered in addition to existing public transportation. We develop our model in an agile process together with rural decision-makers in the district of Heinsberg, Germany, and apply it in a real-world case study. As input for our model, we account for the existing public transportation system, identify points-of-interest, and estimate commuting volumes to workplaces based on official commuting data. Results promise a high potential to improve accessibility in rural areas. However, most of the improvement stems from unimodal car sharing trips.     

Location analysis for the modal shift of palletized building materials

At present, the distribution of palletized building materials is mostly carried out by trucks, despite their movements having negative effects on society, the economy and the environment. However, these problems can be reduced if the transport of palletized goods is shifted to inland waterways. By doing so, the goods are bundled for the main haulage by barge. In order to reduce the transport distances by truck to an absolute minimum, a possible last-mile distribution would have to be organized via a limited number of directly canal-served hubs. The locations of those hubs are crucial for the feasibility of modal shift. This study advances the transport geography literature by elaborating a location analysis model specifically for palletized goods. This model determines the optimal hub location by taking into account the large variation of origins and destinations of transport flows, while the introduction of a cost structure enables potential economic gains (cost savings) and reductions in CO₂ emissions to be calculated. The analysis is performed for transport data on palletized building materials in Belgium. Two concepts were defined, which resulted in an optimal intermodal network of 9 hubs and one with 27 hubs; through the implementation of these networks, respectively 26% and 38% of the transport flows can be shifted to the inland waterways at a profitable cost. It can be expected that over time these percentages will increase further.     

Network analysis of container barge transport in the port of Antwerp by means of simulation

Inland navigation plays an important role in the hinterland access of the port of Antwerp. In this paper alternative bundling strategies for container barge transport in the port of Antwerp are analyzed. Four alternative hub scenarios are simulated and compared with the current situation with respect to the operational characteristics of the network. Discrete event simulation is used to analyze the impact on waiting times and capacity utilization at potential hubs and at sea terminals. The hub scenarios under investigation are the organization of an intermodal barge hub on the right river bank, an intermodal hub on the left river bank, a first multihub scenario with a local collection/distribution network and a potentially improved multihub scenario taking into account the specific structure of the port of Antwerp. The second multihub scenario offers most opportunities for reducing the turnaround time of all inland terminals. All hub scenarios lead to important efficiency improvements in the handling of barges at sea terminals.     

A bi-objective model for planning and managing rail-truck intermodal transportation of hazardous materials

We propose a bi-objective optimization framework for routing rail-truck intermodal shipments with hazardous materials, when shippers and receivers have access to alternate intermodal terminals. A tabu-search based solution methodology is developed, which together with the optimization framework is applied to realistic size problem instances to gain managerial insights. Our analysis indicates that drayage accounts for a significant portion of transport risk and that it can be reduced by scheduling direct and faster trains; and, that the mix of intermodal trains depends on the interest of the decision-makers, where the resulting traffic can facilitate planning emergency response systems.     

Industrial space demand and freight transportation activity: exploring the connection

There has been continuing interest among transportation planners, economic development specialists, and private industry about the relationship between the demand for industrial space and the level of freight transportation activity. With the growing importance of logistics and supply chain economics for many industrial and business activities, firms organizing their industrial activities and locating their warehousing and operational centers increasingly must consider the availability, quality, and cost of a range of transportation services, particularly in connection with essential intermodal activities. Accordingly, development of major logistics parks in conjunction with major intermodal hubs has become an important element in the overall industrial economy, predicated on the notion that robust freight activity is a good indicator of demand for industrial space. In this study, using regression techniques, we examine the relationship between freight transportation activity and industrial space demand at the metropolitan area level. The results confirm this relationship, reflecting significant statistical association between higher levels of freight traffic and higher levels of industrial space demand. This relationship is more pronounced in inland versus port markets. In addition, the data reveal that there was a shock to industrial space demand in 2001, thereby altering the structural relationship between demand and the drivers of demand.     

Improving interchanges in China: the experiential phenomenon

This paper examines the development of multimodal passenger rail hubs as part of the high-speed rail (HSR) network in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The instrumental, attitudinal and affective experience of the journey through the interchange is assessed from the user perspective. Surveys are used from three HSR stations: Beijing South, Chengdu East and Suzhou North (N = 150), representing three types of HSR stations, i.e. national capital, regional capital and sub-regional city. ‘Expected’ and ‘realised’ facilities are compared – with the difference representing the ‘disgruntlement’ factor (after Stradling et al., 2007).The unprecedented urbanisation process currently being witnessed in the PRC, together with the rapid development of the HSR network and associated multimodal interchanges, offers much opportunity to develop a leading-edge public transport system and urban development predicated on the use of public transport. Although the importance of intermodal interchange hubs is being increasingly recognised, the journey experience through the interchange often remains poor, with problems including Wi-Fi availability, waiting and seating, the availability of door-to-door ticketing, crowdedness, access to the hub, time of travel through and waiting in the hub. MANOVA analysis and factorial (three way) MANOVA analysis are used to explore the differences between intermodal hubs, with many instrumental and particularly attitudinal and affective factors being significantly influenced by location.     

Assessing policy measures for the stimulation of intermodal transport: a GIS-based policy analysis

Intermodal transport is the combination and integration of several transport modes (such as rail, inland waterways with road transport). In order to make the transhipment easy and efficient standard loading units are used, such as containers or swap-bodies. As for the main haul, more environmental friendly modes are used (rail and inland waterways) and a modal shift towards these modes can help in reducing the congestion. Therefore several policies are directed to stimulate the intermodal transport market.In this paper, a location analysis model for Belgian intermodal terminals (LAMBIT) is developed and used to assess different policy measures in Belgium. The simulations show that the different policy measures oriented towards the rail/road and inland waterways/road combinations should be incorporated in a coherent, integrated vision, in order to not create a modal shift between the different intermodal transport options. The methodology can easily be extended towards a European scale.     

Carrying capacity procurement of rail and shipping services for automobile delivery with uncertain demand

The determination of the optimal carrying capacity procurement of rail and shipping services in the automobile intermodal network with unique characteristics is essential to save automobile delivery cost. In this research we develop a two-stage stochastic programming model for the tactical-level decision problem arising in the special automobile intermodal network. Furthermore, we improve the sample average approximation algorithmic procedure to solve the model. We apply the model and solution method to a case study associated with the Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation. We believe that this study deals with an emerging new research topic with practical significance for the automobile industry.     

铁路多式联运一体化技术平台方案设计

以铁路运输为骨干的多式联运存在信息断链问题,影响多式联运效率提升,需要设计与开发铁路多式联运一体化技术平台。在阐述铁路多式联运一体化技术平台目标的基础上,分析多式联运一体化技术平台的功能需求和服务类型,设计多式联运一体化技术平台总体架构。基于"运输服务集市""物流增值服务集市"以及"信息集市"的平台定位,设计多式联运一体化技术平台的功能模块,包括多式联运信息发布、订单管理、多式联运产品设计、多式联运产品自动组合等功能,以实现高效率的铁路多式联运信息交互,提升铁路多式联运信息化水平。     

Integrated production and intermodal transportation planning in large scale production–distribution-networks

We present a model and solution approach for combining production and intermodal transportation planning in a supply network. A close and detailed integration of both decision fields is missing in the literature so far. The model includes relevant decisions regarding production setups and output volumes of plants, cargo consolidation at intermodal terminals, and capacity bookings for road and rail transports. A Branch-and-Cut method and heuristics are designed for solving the problem. A comprehensive case study for a chemical company identified a 6%-cost saving from the integrated planning. At the same time, companies are successfully supported in establishing eco-friendly distribution processes.     

Optimizing the aerodynamic efficiency of intermodal freight trains

We develop an aerodynamic loading assignment model for intermodal freight trains based on an integer-programming framework to help terminal managers make up more fuel-efficient trains. This is the first use of optimization modeling to address the aerodynamics and energy efficiency of railroad intermodal trains. Several recommendations regarding railway equipment use, operations, and policy are proposed to improve fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions from intermodal transportation. Analysis of one major railroad intermodal route reveals the potential to reduce fuel consumption by 15 million gallons per year with corresponding savings of $28,000,000. Greater benefits are possible through broader implementation of the model.     

Intermodal logistics: The interplay of financial,operational and service issues

This research addresses strategic planning for an interregional, hub based, intermodal logistics network operated by a logistics service provider. A tabu search meta-heuristic is used to solve a mathematical optimization model that extends the p-hub median model for interacting hub location-allocation problems to the domain of intermodal logistics. An empirical study based on a subset of US freight flows shows that intermodal logistics networks differ significantly from traditional over-the-road logistics networks in their hub locations, network structure, and their use of direct and inter-hub shipments. Furthermore, intermodal logistics networks are more sensitive to changes in service requirements and costs.     

An agent based model concept for assessing modal share in inter-regional freight transport markets

This paper introduces an Agent based modelling approach to model inter-urban freight transport between two or more trading regions. The use of the model is to ascertain the modal share of competing transport modes (road and intermodal) while taking complex transport service supply–demand dynamics into account. It is structured by modules describing company generation, supplier choice, modal competition and International road freight transport market dynamics. The behaviour of individual actors is simulated using normative agent behaviour and market knowledge. Using the micro-simulation approach, shippers and carriers (primarily road hauliers and a maritime based intermodal operator) interact through simulated contracts resulting in the generation of tours. The service performance of the tours is fed back into the model for decision making during contract deliberations. Preliminary application of model to Mediterranean case study show that market share gains of around 25–30% are obtained with policy interventions of financial subsidies to intermodal services and more frequent shipping services in the intermodal transport respectively.     

Reliable emergency service facility location under facility disruption,en-route congestion and in-facility queuing

The planning of emergency service facility location, especially for those expecting high demand and severe conditions, requires consideration of victims’ en-route travel, in-facility service quality, and reliability of these service facilities themselves. This paper first presents a scenario-based stochastic mixed-integer non-linear program (MINLP) model that integrates facility disruption risks, en-route traffic congestion and in-facility queuing delay into an integrated facility location problem. We derive lower and upper bounds to this highly complex problem by approximating the expected total system costs across the normal and all probabilistic facility disruption scenarios. This allows us to develop a more tractable approximate MINLP formulation and a Lagrangian Relaxation (LR) based solution approach. The relaxed sub-problem for location and service allocation decisions is further reformulated into a second-order conic program. Numerical experiments show that the approximate model and LR solution approach are capable of overcoming the computational difficulties associated with the problem. Interesting findings and managerial insights are obtained from a series of sensitivity analyses, e.g., regarding the importance of considering in-facility queuing in location design, and the significance of resource pooling on the optimal facility deployment.     

我国铁水联运港口作业区布局优化研究

铁水联运港口作业区是铁水联运作业的重要场所之一,铁水联运港口作业区布局直接影响着铁水联运的作业效率。为提高铁水联运港口作业效率,减少因方案调整产生的无效工作,在阐述铁水联运港口作业区组成的基础上,使用SLP法和铁水联运港口作业区布局优化模型进行两阶段耦合优化研究,以马鞍山郑蒲港区为例验证铁水联运港口作业区布局优化模型及其算法的可行性,充分发掘铁路联运港口作业区影响因素,提升铁水联运港口作业区域布局工作效率的优势,为铁水联运的总体布局方案提供科学合理的依据。     

Planning and managing intermodal transportation of hazardous materials with capacity selection and congestion

The current literature in the rail–truck intermodal transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) domain ignores congestion at intermodal yards. We attempt to close that gap by proposing a bi-objective optimization framework for managing hazmat freight that not only considers congestion at intermodal yards, but also determines the appropriate equipment capacity. The proposed framework, i.e., a non-linear MIP and a multi-objective genetic algorithm based solution methodology, is applied to a realistic size problem instance from existing literature. Our analysis indicates that terminal congestion risk is a significant portion of the network risk; and, that policies and tools involving number of cranes, shorter maximum waiting times, and tighter delivery times could have a positive bearing on risk.     

Intermodal integration in air transportation: status quo, motives and future developments

Soaring air traffic, increasing urban expansion and airports operating at full capacity are reasons that have caused a discussion about improvements in airport landside access systems. One approach to better match customer demands and address airport congestion is to facilitate the intermodal integration of airports. Building on a survey on intermodal passenger air transportation, we elaborate on the current and future situation at major airports. Our findings indicate a high modal concentration and dependence on individual access modes. However, while airport managers intend to reduce the share of these modes, they plan to increase that of high-occupancy airport access modes. We analyze the underlying motives that cause airports to extend their connections to surface infrastructure. In a case study, we assess an intermodal best practice solution for the integration of air and rail.     

基于遗传算法的集装箱多式联运联盟合作伙伴的选择

集装箱多式联运是一个复杂的大系统,其多式联盟的组成首先要选择正确的合作伙伴。建立基于遗传算法的集装箱多式联运联盟合作伙伴选择的模型,从联盟的运营成本、运营时间和运营风险的最小化进行择优,同时给出应用算例进行验证,并利用MATLAB7.0求解,得到能以最佳性能完成运输任务的联盟伙伴组合。     

Optimal network flows for containerized imports to the United States

This paper analyzes the intermodal transportation network of containerized imports to the United States. An optimization model is developed that integrates international and North America inland transport networks. The results indicate optimal ship size, route, port, and interior shipping corridor and are highly reflective of observed shipments. Sensitivity analyzes were performed to evaluate impacts of congestion on capacity constraints as well as the prospective impacts of the alternative routes that are emerging. Results indicate that Prince Rupert is highly competitive for shipments to some markets, but the expansion of the Panama Canal would have lesser impacts on container flows.