Abstract:
As the core node of an intermodal container transport network, the operation efficiency of a container intermodal port is directly related to the overall throughput of the network, with the storage yard operations being particularly important to ensure port efficiency. In actual port operations, reasonable space allocation of containers waiting for loading based on the ship stowage plan can effectively improve the yard efficiency. Under the background of container intermodal transportation, the space allocation of containers in storage yard is studied by considering ship stowing planning, where containers arriving at the port via road, railway and waterway, combining with yard bridge operations. In order to ensure the overall operation yard efficiency, a two-stage mathematical model is proposed, with the objective of minimizing container reshuffling and bridge operation time. An artificial bee colony algorithm is improved to solve the problem. In order to mitigate the influence of the two-stage solution on the global optimum, the optimal scheme is obtained by the coordination of pheromone and sensitivity to balance the optimal solutions of both stages. Results show that the improved artificial bee colony algorithm outperforms the general artificial bee colony algorithm and genetic algorithm in reducing container reshuffling and bridge operation time. With the increase of the problem scale, the advantages of the improved artificial bee colony algorithm are more prominent in both solution quality and computational efficiency. The results above verify the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm, providing a certain reference significance for the actual development of space allocation plans by storage yard.