Comparison of multi-objective optimization approaches for the train load planning problem

In this paper an important problem arising in seaport terminals is considered, that is the train load planning problem, i.e. the decision on the assignment of containers to the wagon slots of a train on which they must be loaded. The train load planning problem considered in this paper includes three objectives to be minimized, that are the number of reshuffles in the storage area, the number of pin changes in the wagons, and the total distance covered by the handling equipment between the storage area and the wagons. Multi-objective techniques are applied in order to design a decision support tool which could provide the terminal operators with a set of efficient solutions, so that they may choose the one to be implemented in practice. Three multi-objective optimization procedures are proposed in the paper and compared through some experimental results, inspired from a real case.