ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH DIRECTIONS ON VEHICLE ROUTING IN THE OPERATION OF CONTAINER TERMINALS OF SEAPORTS

Abstract

The aim of the article is to analyze the directions of research on vehicle routing in the operation of container terminals of seaports. This goal is achieved by analyzing the sources of information on the general tasks of vehicle routing and the problems associated with them, as well as the processes related to routing and planning at container terminals. It is established that the set of processes related to routing and planning at container terminals includes the process of planning (allocation) of the berth, the process of planning (allocation) of the berth crane and the process of stacking planning (placement of vehicles under cranes and transportation of cranes). It is proved that various problems related to operations at container terminals can arise as vehicle routing problems. In this regard, the article reviews a significant amount of theoretical and practical research on the importance of optimizing logistics operations at container terminals of seaports. It is determined that due to the specific characteristics of container terminals, standard theoretical models often require adjustments in practice. It is also noted that investment and operating costs for ships and port equipment are very high, and competition between container terminals is growing, forcing operators to reduce unproductive downtime in the port. The most significant result is a critical analysis of the disadvantages and advantages of possible approaches to vehicle routing in the operation of container terminals in seaports. A further direction of work is to conduct research on the use of intelligent vehicle routing and scheduling mechanisms that will allow for the economical use of expensive equipment and space. The analysis of existing research areas has shown that the competitiveness of the terminal also includes issues of coastal operations and internal logistics, as well as land operations, transport links and routing in general.