Modelling Empty Container Repositioning Logistics

The book takes an inventory control perspective to tackle empty container repositioning logistics problems in regional transportation systems, discussing broad empty equipment logistics and adopting a stochastic dynamic programming approach to characterize the optimal policy. It establishes closed-form solutions and structural properties of the optimal ECR policies and introduces optimization techniques to solve complex stochastic optimization problems.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 22 January 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The book delves into the realm of inventory control to address the intricate challenges of empty container repositioning logistics within regional transportation systems. By explicitly considering key factors such as demand imbalance over space, dynamic operations over time, uncertainty in demand and transport, and the phenomenon of container leasing, it offers a comprehensive perspective on this complex problem.

One of the book's distinguishing features is its extensive coverage of empty equipment logistics, encompassing a wide range of scenarios. This includes empty freight vehicle redistribution, empty passenger vehicle redistribution, empty bike repositioning, empty container chassis repositioning, and empty container repositioning (ECR) problems. The authors shed light on the similarities and unique characteristics of ECR compared to other empty equipment repositioning problems, providing valuable insights into the field.

To tackle the ECR problems, the authors employ a stochastic dynamic programming approach. This approach offers an algorithmic strategy to characterize the optimal policy and captures the sequential decision-making phenomenon inherent in anticipation of uncertainties over time and space. By leveraging this approach, the book is able to establish closed-form solutions and structural properties of the optimal ECR policies in relatively simple transportation systems. These properties serve as a foundation for constructing threshold-type ECR policies, which are tailored for more intricate transportation systems.

In essence, the threshold-type ECR policies resemble the well-known (s, S) and (s, Q) policies in inventory control theory. These policies boast several advantages, including decentralization, ease of understanding, ease of operation, quick response to random events, and minimal on-line computation and communication. By incorporating these policies, transportation systems can enhance their efficiency and adaptability in dealing with empty container repositioning challenges.

Furthermore, the book employs a range of sophisticated optimization techniques to solve the ECR problems. These techniques include approximate dynamic programming, simulation-based meta-heuristics, stochastic approximation, perturbation analysis, and ordinal optimization methods. By employing these methods, the authors aim to provide practical solutions that can be implemented in real-world scenarios.

In conclusion, the book takes a novel approach to inventory control by addressing empty container repositioning logistics problems within regional transportation systems. Through its comprehensive coverage, stochastic dynamic programming approach, closed-form solutions, and threshold-type ECR policies, it offers valuable insights and practical solutions for optimizing empty container utilization and improving transportation efficiency. The book is a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in advancing the field of inventory control and logistics.

Weight: 279g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030933852
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022