3586. Ferry network design and scheduling: an exact optimization model for analysis of pathway alternatives
Invited abstract in session TD-51: Network Design for Public Transport, stream Public Transport Optimization.
Tuesday, 14:30-16:00Room: M5 (building: 101)
Authors (first author is the speaker)
| 1. | Michael Sederlin
|
| 2. | Tomas Lidén
|
| Traffic Analysis and Logistics, VTI - Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute |
Abstract
Owing to the lack of land-based infrastructure connecting islands, ferry-based public transport is often the only feasible means of reliable mass transportation. Ferry transport operating in populated archipelagos consists of a combination of fixed and flexible services, highly variable stopping patterns within lines, a lack of regular operating cycles and a small heterogeneous vehicle fleet.While water bodies separating islands create barriers, the unique geographic layout with many islands in close proximity also offers large routing freedom.Taking advantage of novel pathways may require cost-inducing efforts such as depth surveys, dredging or marking shallows. We present a joint method for ferry routing and scheduling based on a multi-trip vehicle routing problem approach. The proposed model incorporates many of the observed characteristics of real systems. Traffic requirements are included as minimum stop visits over the scheduling period and as window-constraints.Evaluation of novel pathways is supported in the form of arc-bundles with fixed opening costs. The computation time is shown to be sensitive to the number of window constraints. Full system solutions with an optimality gap between 10 and 15 % are obtained within a time-scale reasonable for strategic planning. Our results show that pathway evaluation and operational assessment need to consider the traffic requirements and fleet characteristics at hand.
Keywords
- Vehicle Routing
- Maritime applications
- Programming, Integer
Status: accepted
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