Foldable and standard containers in empty container repositioning

• Published in: Transportation research. Part E, Logistics and transportation review Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 107 - 124
• Main Authors: Moon, Ilkyeong, Do Ngoc, Anh-Dung, Konings, Rob
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Exeter Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01-01-2013; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Algorithms; Container ships; Container transportation; Containers; Costs; Empty container; Empty container repositioning; Foldable container; Heuristic; Mathematical models; Ocean traffic; Purchasing; Repositioning; Sensitivity analysis; Strategy; Studies; Transportation; Empty container repositioning; Empty container; Foldable container; Container transportation
• ISSN: 1366-5545; 1878-5794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2012.07.005

► Using foldable containers can reduce the repositioning cost and storage space. ► We compare empty container repositioning costs of foldable and standard containers. ► Three mathematical models are proposed for comparison. ► Purchasing and transportation costs play a key role for using foldable containers.
Strategies to reposition empty containers are an unabated issue for shipping companies. This study compares the repositioning costs of foldable containers to those of standard containers. Mathematical models are used to minimize the total relevant cost, which includes the folding/unfolding cost, the inventory storage cost, the container purchasing cost, and the repositioning cost. Heuristic algorithms are proposed to solve the mathematical models. Numerical experiments are carried out in several scenarios to demonstrate the economic feasibility of foldable containers. The sensitivity analysis shows that the purchasing cost and the transportation cost affect the use of foldable containers.