Scheduling External Trucks Appointments in Container Terminals to Minimize Cost and Truck Turnaround Times

Ahmed M. Abdelmagid, Mohamed Gheith and Amr Eltawil
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Ahmed M. Abdelmagid: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Mohamed Gheith: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt
Amr Eltawil: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), Alexandria 21934, Egypt

Logistics, 2022, vol. 6, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: Background: Scheduling the arrival of external trucks in container terminals is a critical operational decision that faces both terminal managers and trucking companies. This issue is crucial for both stakeholders since the random arrival of trucks causes congestion in the terminals and extended delays for the trucks. The objective of scheduling external truck appointments is not only to control the workload inside the terminal and the costs resulting from the excessive waiting times of trucks but also, to reduce the truck turnaround time. Methods: A binary programming model was proposed to minimize the waiting time cost, demurrage cost, and container delivery cost. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was performed to compare various scenarios in terms of cost and to study to what extent the workload level is affected. The mathematical model was solved using Gurobi© 8.1.0 software. Results: 30 instances found in the literature were solved and evaluated in terms of the objective function value (i.e., cost) and truck turnaround time before and after controlling the workload inside the container terminal using the new proposed constraint. Conclusions: The obtained results showed a better distribution of the terminal workload, as well as a lower truck turnaround time that reduces the total cost.

Keywords: truck scheduling problem; container terminal; mathematical modeling; truck appointment system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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