Tactical and Operational Issues in Berth Allocation

by

Gilbert Laporte

Canada Research Chair in Distribution Management

HEC Montreal

Abstract:

We examine two problems associated with the berthing of ships in a large container port. The first, called the Service Allocation Problem, is a tactical problem. It consists of allocating berth areas to specific shipping services in order to minimize container rehandling operations inside the yard. The problem can be viewed as a generalized quadratic assignment problem. It is formulated as an integer quadratic program which can be linearized, and it is solved by means of a memetic heuristic. The second problem, called the Berth Allocation Problem, is an operational problem. It consists of assigning berth areas and berthing times to waiting ships in the harbour. The objective is the minimization of the total handling time, equal to waiting time plus service time. The problem is formulated in two different ways and solved by means of a tabu search heuristic. This research is part of a major project undertaken in cooperation with the port of Gioia Tauro, the largest container port on the Mediterranean Sea, and the fourth largest in Europe. This is a joint project with Jean-Francois Cordeau, Manlio Gaudioso, Pasquale Legato, and Luigi Moccia.

An overview of transportation planning problems

by

Gilbert Laporte

Canada Research Chair in Distribution Management

HEC Montreal

Abstract:

Transportation is arguably the area in which operations research (OR) has had the most impact. This can be explained in part by the fact that most transportation problems possess a network structure that lends itself to the application of analytical techniques. The success of OR in the field of transportation can also be attributed to the economic importance and scale of the problems. When optimization techniques are applied to transportation problems, important savings usually follow. In this talk I will review the main research trends in the application of OR techniques to the field of transportation. I will first expose how the field is structured into modes, planning levels, and availability of information. I will then provide examples of successful OR applications, followed by an assessment and a look at research prospects.