Models for Constructing Optimal Container Freight Plans for Complex Logistics Systems
Abstract
Models for Constructing Optimal Container Freight Plans for Complex Logistics Systems
Incoming article date: 16.04.2025The article addresses the challenges and proposes mathematical models for optimizing container freight transportation within complex logistics systems, emphasizing the growing importance of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in logistics by 2025. It highlights key industry issues such as decentralized global supply chains, environmental risks, infrastructure deficiencies, safety concerns, and notably, the costly problem of transporting empty containers, which accounts for a significant portion of operational expenses worldwide and in Russia. The core contribution is a modified three-dimensional transport optimization model that incorporates container types, cargo volumes, and transportation costs, including the cost variations due to partially filled or empty containers. The model extends classical transportation problem formulations by introducing a potentials method that accounts for the contributions of suppliers, recipients, and container costs to determine an optimal transport plan minimizing total costs. Constraints ensure that supply and demand conditions, container capacities, and route feasibility are respected. The model uniquely integrates the degree of container filling into cost calculations using a coefficient to adjust transportation costs accordingly. This approach enables more accurate and cost-effective freight planning. Additionally, the article discusses the development of a simulation model and a client-server application to automate the search for optimal transport plans, facilitating practical implementation. The proposed framework can be expanded to include various container types, cargo characteristics, and transport modes, offering a comprehensive tool for improving logistics efficiency in container freight transportation.
Keywords: diversification of management, production diversification, financial and economic purposes of a diversification, technological purposes of ensuring flexibility of production