Optimum Planning on Material Handling Operation in Container Terminal (3rd Report, Flexible Operation Model on Container Yard)

Abstract

In this paper, the flexible material handling operation model on container yard is presented based on the analysis approach of flexible operation which was put forward in the first report of this research. In this model, the optimum operation scheduling plan has been carried out to realize the multi-objective optimization on operational criteria such as minimum ship waiting time and minimum operation time of transfer cranes. Meanwhile, the container information is recorded individually as the basis for operation commands from the yard production management system. Moreover, in order to enhance productivity in rehandling operation, the stack height of container block for unloaded containers is modified dynamically with fuzzy neural network according to the status and prediction of yard system. Finally, the optimal operation plan is determined by means of genetic algorithm combined with simulation analysis. The study has shown that this model can yield satisfactory operational scheduling plan for container yard by an actual case analysis. © 2000, The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. All rights reserved.