Container Liner Shipping Route Network Optimization

As is known to all, container transport market is being affected by many unexpected factors, such as the varieties in political, economic and trade environment, the changes of policies and regulations, port constructions, etc. These factors increase the risks and difficulties in the production and operation of the liner shipping enterprises. In order to reduce the adverse factors, the major liner shipping companies in the main practice arrange reasonable fleet and shipping routes thus trying their best to let the limited capacity of the ship create the greatest economic benefit. Therefore, shipping routes network with the optimal allocation has become the most concern in the field of shipping industry.Based on the above issues, this paper attempted to study and discuss the methods of the container liner shipping route network optimization in way of using the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and integer programming model. Results of the research provided a feasible solution of liner transportation route optimization to the liner shipping enterprises, thus enhancing the effective and reasonable distribution of shipping companies' fleet and ship routes.The main contents were as follows:1. By searching the common characteristics of graph theory and route network, the paper studied the applicability of using the graph theory and methods in the container liner shipping route network optimization problems. On the basis of the analysis in the research status from home and abroad, it was found that scholars of routes and fleet scheduling options for the container liner shipping route network were relatively scarce and planners in liner shipping companies usually made decisions according to their rich seafaring experience through a certain amount of economic analysis in a limited number of programs, so that the development of mathematical methods in this area is very slow. The visual elements of container liner transport network could be mapped out in way of graph theory and methods more intuitively. The theory and methods could also simplify the process of calculation.2. The paper established a container liner shipping route network optimization model, and the specific calculation process of it. The model was necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of the lowest cost of total operating transport routes, which was restricted to meet the cargo shipment needs of the supply port, to make reasonable arrangement of the capacities of the container ships and the container shipping route, as well as to guarantee the container liner route schedules. The model used the MTSP model to generate fleet feasible route and the integer programming theory to find the ultimate optimization results.3. Through actual research, the paper took the container liner shipping route network of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River as an example of the study, after summarizing a large amount of data to the information required of the model examples. These data was incorporated into the model as a tone test of the implementation of the container liner shipping route network optimization model proposed by the paper in using LINGO. The final optimal route network and the minimum route network operating costs were found, thus verifying operability of the container liner shipping route network optimization model.Further changes were made to the model, while deeper analysis was shown in the expansion of the model. Through research and discussion, this paper provided a more scientific theory to the container liner shipping route network optimization.