An improved formulation for bulk cargo ship scheduling with a single loading port

This paper presents an improved, significantly more efficient formulation of an existing model for bulk cargo or semi-bulk cargo ship scheduling problems with a single loading port. The original model, published by Ronen in 1986, was formulated as a non-linear, mixed integer program. In this work, the authors were able to re-formulate it into a linear one, by eliminating all the non-linearities of the original model. In addition, this model has far fewer integer variables than the original one. A numerical example has been given to illustrate the elimination of non-linearities and how 40 integer variables, in the original model, are reduced to just eight. This example also shows that this model is better at finding exact optimal solutions than the original one. It is also worth observing that the resulting model is a generalization of the 'capacitated facility location problem'.     

Editorial: an analysis of failure

This article deals with a short-term Liner Ship Fleet Planning (LSFP) problem with cargo shipment demand uncertainty for a single liner container shipping company. The cargo shipment demand uncertainty enables us to propose a chance constraint for each liner service route, which guarantees that the liner service route can satisfy the customers’ demand at least with a predetermined probability. Assuming that cargo shipment demand between any two ports on each liner service route is normally distributed, this article develops an integer linear programming model with chance constraints for the short-term LSFP problem. The proposed integer linear programming model can be efficiently solved by any optimization solver such as CPLEX. Finally, a numerical example is carried out to assess the model and analyze impact of the chance constraints and cargo shipment demand.     

对东莞市港口吞吐量预测方法的思考

灰色模型因其需要的原始数据较少、精度较高等优点,能满足一般港口货物吞吐量预测的要求。但并不是所有港口货物吞吐量预测都能应用灰色模型而达到理想的预测效果,文中应用东莞市港口货物吞吐量预测的例子闸述这一观点。     

Research on probability distribution of port cargo throughput

In order to more accurately examine developing trends in gross cargo throughput, we have modeled the probability distribution of cargo throughput. Gross cargo throughput is determined by the time spent by cargo ships in the port and the operating efficiency of handling equipment. Gross cargo throughput is the sum of all compound variables determining each aspect of cargo throughput for every cargo ship arriving at the port. Probability distribution was determined using the Wald equation. The results show that the variability of gross cargo throughput primarily depends on the different times required by different cargo ships arriving at the port. This model overcomes the shortcoming of previous models： inability to accurately determine the probability of a specific value of future gross cargo throughput. Our proposed model of cargo throughput depends on the relationship between time required by a cargo ship arriving at the port and the operational capacity of handling equipment at the port. At the same time, key factors affecting gross cargo throughput are analyzed. In order to test the efficiency of the model, the cargo volume of a port in Shandong Province was used as an example. In the case study the actual results matched our theoretical analysis.     

新建船队的船队优化模型建立和比较

船队规划问题通常是通过建立连续变量线性规划模型或混合整数线性规划模型来解决,但往往会得到要求一艘船营运于多条航线的结果。而企业出于安全因素和便于管理的角度考虑,希望船队单船个体的航线能固定,这就需要采用整数规划模型来解决此类问题。针对新建船队的整体配置规划问题,在建立连续变量线性规划模型和混合整数线性规划模型的基础上,探索并建立线性整数规划模型和非线性整数规划模型并进行优化。通过对计算实例的分析比较,论述了4种优化数学模型的特点与适用范围。     

基于条件期望的港口货物吞吐量预测模型的建立与分析

为了有效预测港口货物总吞吐量的大小,利用条件数学期望提出了港口货物总吞吐量的预测模型.由于货物总吞吐量的变化与到达港口的货运船数目以及装卸设备的工作效率有密切关系,构造一个关于到达港口的货运船数目以及装卸设备的工作能力组合而成的复合变量,货物总吞吐量是这些复合变量所表示的货物装卸量的和.应用全概理论,得到货物总吞吐量的概率分布.在此基础上,将未来货物总吞吐量看作已完成吞吐量的条件期望.利用增长函数得出港口货物吞吐量的预测模型.以山东地区某港口的货物吞吐量变化规律进行了案例分析.理论分析和案例分析均表明该模型是预测港口货物总吞吐量的有效方法.     

Optimal handling capacity at a berth

In a recent paper Wanhill [1] described a method for determining the number of berths that should be provided at a port so that the total usage cost would be minimized. However, in many situations a port will provide a single specialized berth to cater for a particular type of cargo; for example, the unloading of iron-ore at a steelworks or the discharge of oil at a general cargo port. The problem then is not one of deciding on the number of berths to be built but rather that of finding the optimal cargo handling capacity for the single berth available. A model is presented in this paper indicating how such a decision may be made, and two examples give approximate lower and upper bounds for the optimal capacity for many practical cases. A second paper will show how a theoretical model often has to be modified in the light of particular circumstances.     

Optimal handling capacity at a berth

In a recent paper Wanhill [1] described a method for determining the number of berths that should be provided at a port so that the total usage cost would be minimized. However, in many situations a port will provide a single specialized berth to cater for a particular type of cargo; for example, the unloading of iron-ore at a steelworks or the discharge of oil at a general cargo port. The problem then is not one of deciding on the number of berths to be built but rather that of finding the optimal cargo handling capacity for the single berth available. A model is presented in this paper indicating how such a decision may be made, and two examples give approximate lower and upper bounds for the optimal capacity for many practical cases. A second paper will show how a theoretical model often has to be modified in the light of particular circumstances.     

Weekly container delivery patterns in liner shipping planning models

This paper addresses a fundamental question related to nearly all container liner shipping planning models: whether the implicit assumption of identical container delivery pattern every week is valid in a situation of identical shipping services and identical cargo demand every week. We prove that when the number of containers transported from one port to the next is formulated as a continuous variable, the resulting mathematical model with an identical container delivery pattern is equivalent to the model with general container delivery patterns which can be different in different weeks. When the number of containers transported is formulated as an integer variable, the model with an identical container delivery pattern is not equivalent to the model with general container delivery patterns. However, the difference between the optimal objective values of the two models is negligible for practical applications. In sum, little, if not nothing, is lost by assuming an identical container delivery pattern in liner shipping planning models.     

A nested logit model of mode choice for inland movement of export shipments: A case study of containerised export cargo from India

Predominance of containerised mode of transport for export of general cargo has influenced the mode choices on the inland segment. Prior to containerisation the general cargo for export moved to ports invariably on road in break bulk form. Growth of containerisation led to development of inland terminals enabling an exporter to obtain export clearance at the inland points. This process facilitated an exporter to move cargo either in break bulk or in containerised form, and as inland terminals facilitated aggregation an exporter could move cargo either by road or rail. Thus containerisation increased the inland transport options for an exporter from one to three. The paper develops discrete choice models in the Indian context for inland movement of containerised export cargo. Primary data was collected from 124 export firms through a structured questionnaire. This data is supplemented with data from transport firms and terminal operators. Using the above data, a nested logit model with rail container and road truck in one branch was found to predict the mode choice behaviour best. Amongst the transport attributes, total cost and total transit time were found to be influencing the mode choices significantly. The study however did not find the effect of reliability and loss and damage significant. In addition, the model also predicts that non transport attributes - like the percentage of letters of credit that materialise with inland way bills and the value of export benefits that materialise after export - are important in the mode choice decision.     

全压式LPG船液货罐安装技术研究

以航通公司建造的一艘3700立方全压式LPG远洋运输船液货罐安装技术为例,分析和介绍了全压式LPG船液货罐安装的特点和需要解决的问题,在实船安装中采取环氧胶泥和层压木组合安装技术,文章介绍有关安装技术关键,并结合有关规范要求进行分析计算研究,提出合理模型。实践证明,该施工技术对类似船舶液货罐的安装具有参考价值。     

光纤工业以太网技术及其在港口的应用

快速工业以太网技术在工业过程控制领域中发展很快,正在迅速成为新一代工业控制领域的主流 技术。本文介绍并探讨了该技术的发展状况及其在天津港散货物流中心的一项应用实例。     

Development of a finite element modeling system for ship structures

In ship structural design, many structural analyses by the finite element method are carried out on models at several different scale levels; for example, a whole ship, cargo hold parts, and detailed structures. However, one serious problem with this design and analysis process is that the generation of the finite element models for a complex configuration is very difficult and laborious. To overcome this problem, an object oriented, finite element modeling system, MODIFY, has been developed by the authors. In this paper, the concept of the finite element modeling system and the techniques for the construction of the system are explained. First, the object oriented data structure of the system, based on the Part-Object concept, is proposed. In this concept, not only the geometry of the domain but also the analytical conditions, such as boundary conditions and material properties, and the finite element model, are represented by the object oriented data structure. By using this data structure, effective finite element model generation can be expected. Second, a mesh generation algorithm based on the frontal method is described. The original frontal method by S.H. Lo was improved for application to three-dimensional curved surfaces. A new inner node placement technique to make quadrilateral elements around stress concentrated areas is also proposed. These techniques are suitable for ship structures, and more accurate results from the finite element analysis can be expected. Moreover, the parallel mesh generation is implemented in MODIFY by using the client-server concept to accelerate mesh generation. Third, a prototype system for the automatic finite element model generation for different analysis levels is proposed. The system is based on the concept of the PD part, which is the part in the design and production stage, and automatic computing of the intersection between PD parts. The validity of this system is demonstrated by some examples.     

基于CATIA二次开发的散货船舱段参数化设计

采用CATIA二次开发中自动化对象编程(V5 Automation)的方法,通过对散货船货舱段结构特点及参数化的描述,编程自动生成散货船舱段三维模型,以长江散货船货舱段生成为例,验证所用的方法能够快速地生成舱段模型,从而缩短设计周期,节约设计成本。     

基于遗传算法的VLCC货油舱分舱优化

探讨以减小静水弯矩为目标的超大型油船分舱优化方法。建立以横舱壁位置为参变量的参数化分舱模型,编程实现典型工况配载计算;建立基于遗传算法的优化模型,实现在主尺度、船型和货油舱区域总长确定的情况下,以最小静水弯矩为优化目标的货油舱横舱壁位置优化。实际应用结果表明,该方法能快速高效地找到满足强制规范要求的静水弯矩最优的分舱方案。     

C型独立液货舱LNG舱段分析方法研究

C型独立液货舱LNG运输船在其运营期间,要遭受多种复杂载荷的联合作用,这对其整体强度尤其是货舱区结构的可靠性及安全性提出了很高的要求。本文基于CCS相关规范,对C型独立液货舱段的结构直接计算进行研究,得到其载荷计算方法,并针对液货罐与鞍座连接形式的模拟方法进行了不同的尝试与比较。最后通过对一LNG运输船实际算例的分析,得到一套合适、准确的舱段有限元直接计算方法,为LNG运输船货舱结构的设计与校核提出了合理的建议。     

五万吨多用途散货船货舱除湿系统设计

以某五万吨多用途散货船除湿系统为例,介绍了设计过程,阐述了转轮除湿机的选型和系统设计方案.     

A genetic algorithm for the hub-and-spoke problem applied to containerized cargo transport

A genetic algorithm for the hub-and-spoke problem (GAHP) is proposed in this work. The GAHP configures a hub-and-spoke network with shuttle services for containerized cargo transport. For a fixed number of hubs, it determines the best network configuration of hub locations and spoke allocations that minimizes the total costs of the system. The GAHP has a simple individual structure with integer number representation, where spokes, their allocations, and hub locations are easily recognized. Due to the characteristics of the problem, which has fixed number of hubs, rearrangements should be performed after every process. The GAHP rearrangement process includes improvements of individual structures, resulting in an improved population. Before applying the GAHP to the container transport network problem, the algorithm is validated using the Civil Aeronautics Board data set, which is extensively used in the literature to benchmark heuristics of hub location problems. To illustrate an example of a hub-and-spoke network with shuttle services, a study case with 18 ports is analyzed.     

The economics of conventional liner break-bulk cargo-handling efficiency

In this paper the authors, after examining the relationships between cargo handling performance of break-bulk cargo and ship and cargo related variables, demonstrate that systematic relationships exist in general cargo systems despite the many variables that affect handling operations.     

Strategic fleet size planning for maritime refrigerated containers

In the present economic climate, it is often the case that profits can only be improved, or for that matter maintained, by improving efficiency and cutting costs. This is particularly notorious in the shipping business, where it has been seen that the competition is getting tougher among carriers, thus alliances and partnerships are resulting for cost effective services in recent years. In this scenario, effective planning methods are important not only for strategic but also operating tasks, covering their entire transportation systems. Container fleet size planning is an important part of the strategy of any shipping line. This paper addresses the problem of fleet size planning for refrigerated containers, to achieve cost-effective services in a competitive maritime shipping market. An analytical model is first discussed to determine the optimal size of an own dry container fleet. Then, this is extended for an own refrigerated container fleet, which is the case when an extremely unbalanced trade represents one of the major investment decisions to be taken by liner operators. Next, a simulation model is developed for fleet sizing in a more practical situation and, by using this, various scenarios are analysed to determine the most convenient composition of refrigerated fleet between own and leased containers for the transpacific cargo trade.