Resource allocation and scheduling of operations in an intermodal terminal

Abstract

An approach to the problem of deciding which equipment and manpower must be allocated over a sequence of work shifts is presented. Once these resources are given, a feasible and near-optimal sequence of operations to load and unload a set of ships harboured in an Intermodal Container Terminal is found. The solution of the resource allocation problem is based on a network design formulation that assumes that the loading and unloading processes can be modelled as a network of container flows between the skips and the terminal yard for all the work shifts. The solution of the scheduling problem is thus fundamental to ensure that these flows are sustained in each work shift, by detailing for each container, the path to follow from its origin to its destination. A discrete-event simulation model with a resolution down to the single container unit is used to validate the resource allocation and the scheduling policies.