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Multi-objective and prioritized berth allocation in container ports

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Abstract

This paper considers a berth allocation problem (BAP) which requires the determination of exact berthing times and positions of incoming ships in a container port. The problem is solved by optimizing the berth schedule so as to minimize concurrently the three objectives of makespan, waiting time, and degree of deviation from a predetermined priority schedule. These objectives represent the interests of both port and ship operators. Unlike most existing approaches in the literature which are single-objective-based, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) that incorporates the concept of Pareto optimality is proposed for solving the multi-objective BAP. The MOEA is equipped with three primary features which are specifically designed to target the optimization of the three objectives. The features include a local search heuristic, a hybrid solution decoding scheme, and an optimal berth insertion procedure. The effects that each of these features has on the quality of berth schedules are studied.

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Correspondence to K. C. Tan.

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Cheong, C.Y., Tan, K.C., Liu, D.K. et al. Multi-objective and prioritized berth allocation in container ports. Ann Oper Res 180, 63–103 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-008-0493-0

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