Robust Optimization Model for Resource Allocation of Container Shipping Lines

The operating efficiency of container shipping lines depends on proper resource allocation of container shipping. A deterministic model was developed for shipping lines based on the equilibrium principle. The objective was to optimize the resource allocation for container lines considering ship size, container deployment, and slot allocation. The deterministic model was then expanded to a robust optimization model accounting for the uncertain factors, while ship size was treated as the design variable and slot allocation as the control variable. The effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated using a pendulum shipping line as an example. The results indicate that infeasible solutions will increase and the model robustness will be enhanced by an increased penalty coefficient and the solution robustness will be enhanced by increasing the preference coefficient. The optimization model simultaneously considers demand uncertainty, model robustness, and risk preference of the decision maker to agree better with actual practices.