Decision support for container transport scheduling : A case study at Combi Terminal Twente

In times of increasing road congestion, environmental issues, and the growth of the container transport sector, intermodal transport companies seek smart planning tools to improve container transport on timeliness, sustainability, and costs. This research considers the intermodal transport company Combi Terminal Twente B.V. (CTT) as a case study. The research developed a model to support the truck planners with scheduling to increase the performance of container transport on timeliness and costs. The model uses simulated annealing to iteratively improve the schedules and is able to determine latest departure times, the number of trucks needed, and provides an initial schedule for one day. This research shows that the information overload on truck planners can be prevented by using this model.