Intermodal Terminal Localisation Using a Linear Programming Approach: The Case Study of Togo and West African Landlocked Countries

摘要

In this paper, four potential cities to host an intermodal terminal for containers flowing through the Togolese transport corridor are examined. The transport cost minimization through the corridor is the main objective. Consequently, the transport modes that offer the least cost to the transport supply chain are proposed. To attain this goal the paper aims to identify the optimal location for an intermodal terminal on the Togolese corridor, by using the mathematical linear programming model. For this, three transport scenarios are analyzed, the rail, the road, and the combination of these two transport modes to each of the landlocked countries (LLCs) capital cities of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Data of the average transport cost per mode, the cargo demand of the LLCs, and the distances from origin to destinations are input in the LINGO software. Based on the optimization results, we find that among the preselected terminals, the city of Mango located at 550 km in the northern part of the country is the optimal host location for an intermodal terminal along the Togolese corridor. The results of this study may be helpful to transport policy makers in the quest of rendering better servicing to the landlocked countries.