Numerical Simulation Analysis Of Empty Container Reposition In A New Mode

Containerization transportation has been growing fast in the past few decades, the imbalance of empty containers among ports has become more serious. That way an integrated transportation network is formed and the’door-to-door’transportation is realized. The advantage is obvious. However, the problem that lies behind this advantage is often overlooked:while containers make business convenient, they can become empty containers, and the reuse of empty containers usually requires the empty reposition which will not bring any economic benefits. The problem of empty container allocation has been the biggest problem that harasses the shipping companies.This thesis first briefly described the background of the empty container reposition problem and the existing research on it. Then the thesis analyzed the container flow process, reasons that cause the empty container reposition, characteristics, the hardcore of the problem and the costs in it.After those analysis, the thesis discussed the traditional mode of empty container reposition and pointed out that the traditional mode of shipping companies was the main body, and the shipping company had more advantages in maritime transporting. While the ports as an important node in the network were passively involved in transferring containers. For the defects of the traditional mode, this thesis raised a new mode that the ports cooperated with shipping companies, leasing companies, freight forwarding companies. The ports provide sufficient grounds for a stable stockpiling shipping companies. The shipping companies have to rent empty containers when they can’t provide enough but do not have to return them to the place the leasing companies demand and they can directly return them to the ports. Then this paper established two mathematical models under the two modes, and designed hybrid genetic algorithm to solve it. In the next chapter, some numerical examples and sensitivity analyses are given to demonstrate the results and the advantages of the new mode.Finally, a summary of the paper, pointed out deficiencies and future research of this research.