Study on the Optimization of Vessel Scheduling Design Based on Soft Time Windows Under Voyage Charters

摘要

Informed by Vehicle Routing Problems with time windows (mainly soft time windows), this paper incorporates time windows into vessel scheduling problems. After a relevant literature review, this paper proposes an optimization of vessel scheduling design that could control the time deviation from designed discharging time. This optimization is especially important in view of the rough times the shipping market is experiencing as a result of the worldwide economic crisis . . This design of vessel scheduling could effectively yield a comparatively high daily net profit.