A solution framework for the integrated periodic supply vessel planning and port scheduling in oil and gas supply logistics

• Published in: Optimization and engineering Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 1537 - 1575
• Main Authors: Chagas, Rennan Danilo Seimetz, Soares, Juliana Beatriz Carvalho de Oliveira, Longhi, Rafael Pedro, Vieira, Bruno Ferreira, de Arruda, Edilson Fernandes, Leite, Laura Silvia Bahiense da Silva, Filho, Virgílio José Martins Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Clustering; Control; Economic impact; Engineering; Environmental Management; Financial Engineering; Integer programming; Logistics; Marine transportation; Mathematics; Mathematics and Statistics; Mixed integer; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Optimization; Research Article; Scheduling; Sea vessels; Systems Theory; Berth allocation problem; Offshore logistics; Periodic vessel routing problem; Supply vessel planning; Mixed-integer programming
• ISSN: 1389-4420; 1573-2924
• DOI: 10.1007/s11081-022-09742-3

In this study, we deal with a real-world problem on oil & gas upstream logistics, comprehending the transport of goods from ports to maritime units, through vessels called Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs). We present an integrated methodology to define the routes of these vessels and port schedules in a three-phase framework. In the first phase, we decompose the problem using a clustering heuristic and then solve periodic supply vessel routing problems for each cluster. The second phase employs a mixed-integer programming model for port scheduling and berth allocation. Finally, in the third phase, given port departure times, the routes are re-sequenced to respect opening time constraints at installations, aiming to reduce waiting times and to balance the intervals between successive services. The framework was validated and evaluated considering a real scenario from an industrial partner located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The experiments’ results revealed that the framework could consistently and significantly outperform the solution adopted by the company in terms of economic costs.