Modeling of the distribution of cargo flows of combined shipments in the hinterland area of the seaport

Abstract

This study focuses on assessing the potential for optimizing the utilization of the hinterland transport network when organizing the dispatch of combined cargo shipments from a seaport. The complexity of this task stems from the need to implement innovative methods to enlarge bulk shipments to facilitate their inland transportation using containerization. This approach promotes the development of new transportation routes and necessitates the evaluation of the transport characteristics of the shipping process. Modeling the transport network requires a comprehensive evaluation of factors, as well as economic and operational indicators that characterize the movement of cargo between origin points (sea container terminals) and destination points (consignee warehouses). This paper reviews existing models for assessing transport network utilization and provides a brief overview of each. In evaluating ongoing processes, it is emphasized that each specific origin-destination pair (sea container terminal to consignee warehouse) can be represented not only in terms of volume but also as a function of time. The possibility of developing a dynamic model based on various methods of unitizing cargo and evaluating the network's transport capabilities is also highlighted. The study concludes that, when addressing the problem of distributing flows across the transport network, considering different methods of organizing cargo units, and accounting for constraints on route capacity, time, or transportation costs, a projection method can be applied to identify the optimal transportation solution from a range of feasible options.