Abstract:
In order to address the issue of maximizing the revenue for liner companies under random demand, this paper classifies contracted containers and temporary containers in container space allocation based on whether a contract is signed in advance. Simultaneously, considering the development of cold chain transportation and market demand, reefer space generate higher profits for liner companies. Therefore, this paper separates the dynamic pricing mechanisms of dry and reefer containers. Based on the revenue management theory, a model for contracted container space allocation and a model for temporary container allocation and dynamic pricing model are established under practical constraints in a two-stage way. A robust modeling method is used to improve the model. Compared with other studies, this method establishes the model by stages according to the contract status of space, and separately address the dynamic pricing for dry and reefer containers. Results show that under uncertain demand, the dynamic pricing strategy of temporary containers yields higher expected revenue than the unified pricing strategy. Based on the findings, this method can provide valuable guidance for liner companies in effective container space allocation and pricing strategies.