An accelerated Benders decomposition algorithm for integrated seaside operations planning with berthing preemption

Amirsalar Malekahmadi (), Mehdi Alinaghian and Seyed Reza Hejazi
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Amirsalar Malekahmadi: Dalhousie University
Mehdi Alinaghian: Isfahan University of Technology
Seyed Reza Hejazi: Isfahan University of Technology

Operational Research, 2025, vol. 25, issue 3, No 1, 31 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper presents a mixed-integer programming model for integrated berth allocation and quay crane assignment and scheduling in continuous container terminals with the possibility of preemption in berthing operations. Despite the potential benefits of considering the possibility of berthing preemption in seaside operations planning, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this possibility has so far escaped the attention of researchers. The proposed model also incorporates variable-in-time quay crane assignment and task preemption policies and is equipped with several constraints that ensure quay cranes keep a safe distance and do not cross over each other. The authors have developed an accelerated Benders decomposition algorithm for solving the proposed model and used 9 new valid inequalities, Pareto optimal cuts, and combinatorial Benders cuts to improve the algorithm performance. Benders’ Decomposition, being an exact solution method, is well-suited for problems featuring both continuous and binary variables, as in our presented model. For performance evaluation, the proposed solution algorithm has been applied to some of the instances designed for this purpose, including both small and large-scale problems, and the results are compared with the results of a commercial optimization solver called Gurobi. The evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has a good performance. Preemption in berth can significantly increase operational efficiency and reduce costs at container terminals. This study is particularly useful for ports handling perishable and strategic cargoes as it minimizes vessel waiting times.

Keywords: Berthing preemption; Integrated model; Seaside operations planning; Accelerated Benders decomposition algorithm (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12351-025-00940-2

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