A note on a dynamic space-allocation method of outbound containers

Storage space is a critical resource in port container terminals. This paper discusses how to allocate storage space for outbound containers that will arrive at a storage yard. The main objectives of space allocation are to utilize space efficiently and make loading operations more efficient. Objective functions and constraints of both the direct and the indirect transfer systems are described and formulated. A basic model is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program. Two heuristic algorithms are suggested based on the duration-of-stay of containers and the sub-gradient optimization technique, respectively. A numerical experiment was conducted to compare two heuristic algorithms.