Bi-objective optimization of drayage operations in the service area of intermodal terminals

Abstract

A full truckload vehicle routing problem in drayage operations around intermodal container terminals is studied. Loaded and empty containers need to be transported in a small geographical area. Either the origin or the destination of empty container transports is unknown in advance. The problem is formulated as an asymmetric multiple vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem with Time Windows (\emph{am}-TSPTW). For the first time, this type of problem is considered from a bi-objective perspective. Three solution algorithms are proposed and compared with each other. Best results are obtained by a two-phase hybrid deterministic annealing and tabu search algorithm.