A lexicographic optimization approach for berth schedule recovery problem in container terminals

In container terminals, the planned berth schedules often have to be revised because of disruptions caused by severe weather, equipment failures, technical problems and other unforeseen events. In this paper, the problem of berth schedule recovery is addressed to reduce the influences caused by disruptions. A multi-objective, multi-stage model is developed considering the characteristics of different customers and the trade-off of all parties involved. An approach based on the lexicographic optimization is designed to solve the model. Numerical experiments are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed Model A and algorithms. Results indicate that the designed Model A and algorithm can tackle the berth plan recovery problem efficiently because the beneficial trade-off among all parties involved are considered. In addition, it is more flexible and feasible with the aspect of practical applications considering that the objective order can be adjusted by decision makers.