An optimization model for blocks allocation to service vessels in a port container terminal

Abstract

This study developed a new mathematical model on allocation of cargo of a service in a port’s container terminal. The objective of the project was minimizing the oveall distances between vessels in berth and blocks in yard side. Each service had some data. The service in operation concepts in the port had three groups of participants: 1) Discharging vessels, 2) Cargo by the number of containers, 3) Loading vessels. The containers were discharged from vessels to yard blocks by trucks then loaded to next vessel. Each truck could transfer one container at a time.The purpose of this project was finding the best blocks between all available blocks in port to minimize the overall distances which the trucks had to pass for discharging or loading. Solving this problem had other important benefits for reducing the port costs, like minimizing the fuel usage by trucks, minimizing the staying time of the vessels at the port, and consequently improving the quality of the port service, which in today’s competitive market would retain and absorb customers. There were only two input data for the problem: 1) the availability of the yard blocks, and 2) the number of containers in each service (either discharging or loading) and the location of the vessel in which berth. The method used in this project was Mixed Integer Linear Programming to mathematical modelling and solving by GAMS software. The distance between berth to blocks was divided into three distances. The Momentum formulation was used to find a point in the berth, which considered the number of containers as the forces and the berth as the location. The point was transferred to the yard then all blocks were prioritize by the nearest distance to this main point in the yard side. Then the needed blocks should be chosen from all the nearest blocks. The research was done based on the data from the 17th busiest port in the world, port of Tanjung P located in the south of Malaysia.