A Constraint Programming model for fast optimal stowage of container vessel bays

► We study the container stowage problem within subsections of container vessel bays. ► A representative model of the problem is introduced. ► Integer and Constraint Programming approaches to solve these problems are compared. ► We do extensive testing with instances derived from real stowage plans....

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Veröffentlicht in:European journal of operational research Jg. 220; H. 1; S. 251 - 261
Hauptverfasser: Delgado, Alberto, Jensen, Rune Møller, Janstrup, Kira, Rose, Trine Høyer, Andersen, Kent Høj
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.07.2012
Elsevier
Elsevier Sequoia S.A
Schlagworte:
Applied sciences
Assignment problem
Combinatorial analysis
Constraint Programming
Container ships
Container vessel stowage planning
Containers
Exact sciences and technology
Flows in networks. Combinatorial problems
Ground, air and sea transportation, marine construction
Integer Programming
Inventory control, production control. Distribution
Marine and water way transportation and traffic
Mathematical programming
Operational research and scientific management
Operational research. Management science
Optimization
Optimization techniques
Planning
Programming
Scheduling, sequencing
Slot planning
Solvers
Stowing
Studies
Vessels
Slot planning
Container vessel stowage planning
Constraint Programming
Integer Programming
Constraint satisfaction
Combinatorial optimization
Modeling
Constrained optimization
Integer programming
Production management
Container
Container ship
NP hard problem
Economic impact
Medium term
Planning
Maritime transportation
Stowage
State constraint
ISSN:0377-2217, 1872-6860
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Zusammenfassung:► We study the container stowage problem within subsections of container vessel bays. ► A representative model of the problem is introduced. ► Integer and Constraint Programming approaches to solve these problems are compared. ► We do extensive testing with instances derived from real stowage plans. ► Our test instances are solved as required for application by the industry. Container vessel stowage planning is a hard combinatorial optimization problem with both high economic and environmental impact. We have developed an approach that often is able to generate near-optimal plans for large container vessels within a few minutes. It decomposes the problem into a master planning phase that distributes the containers to bay sections and a slot planning phase that assigns containers of each bay section to slots. In this paper, we focus on the slot planning phase of this approach and present a Constraint Programming and Integer Programming model for stowing a set of containers in a single bay section. This so-called slot planning problem is NP-hard and often involves stowing several hundred containers. Using state-of-the-art constraint solvers and modeling techniques, however, we were able to solve 90% of 236 real instances from our industrial collaborator to optimality within 1second. Thus, somewhat to our surprise, it is possible to solve most of these problems optimally within the time required for practical application.
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ISSN:0377-2217
1872-6860
DOI:10.1016/j.ejor.2012.01.028