Modelling the container fleet management problem using a stochastic dynamic approach

The authors propose a two-level approach for the global integrated planning of the land distribution and transportation of containers. The topmost level is concerned with the strategic/tactical planning issues: depot selection, allocation of clients to depots, determination of major interdepot empty container flows, etc. The second component corresponds to the level of the day-to-day operational planning of the company’s activities. The paper focusses on the description of the operational decision-support system and its two main components: the dynamic stochastic empty container allocation model and the model for routing loaded and empty containers.