Systems thinking and time-independent solutions for integrated scheduling in automated container terminals

Automated container terminals are complex systems where multiple subsystems are deeply interconnected. To enhance overall efficiency, integrating the scheduling of these subsystems is crucial. While most existing literature emphasizes scheduling methods rooted in processing and setup times, obtaining these times is challenging due to the dynamic nature of terminals. This study proposes optimization solutions for integrated scheduling that bypass the need for specific processing and setup times, using systems thinking to prioritize operations based on their connections with the entire problem. A novel complex network modeling technique transforms the scheduling problem into a network, where operations act as nodes and operational constraints as edges. This transformation facilitates the determination of connections between operations based on network topology. Vital node identification metrics based on such connections are then explored to prioritize operations, leading to the design of complex network-based heuristic rules. Furthermore, the complex network modeling technique enables a network-based simulation framework, offering an efficient way to simulate and monitor real-world processes from a network perspective. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of these proposed rules, with insights derived from analyzing container handling equipment utilization, setup, and wait times.