Search

Automated container terminals (ACTs) represent state-of-the-art facilities for container handling and are a current development trend. However, enhancing their operational efficiency while minimizing energy consumption remains a challenge. While metaheuristics are helpful in addressing container terminal problems, their capabilities are limited when used alone to tackle complex or integrated problems. Hybrid models can be more effective in facing these challenges. This research proposes a hybrid model, termed WOA + PSO, which combines the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) as a novel approach to address the integrated scheduling problem of automated quay cranes (AQCs), automated lift vehicles (ALVs), and automated stacking cranes (ASCs) in an ACT. Additionally, the WOA + PSO collaborates with a simulation model in a framework to become a simulation-based optimization approach. The performance of WOA + PSO is evaluated by comparing it with its base models, WOA and PSO, as well as a genetic algorithm (GA), through extensive experiments. The results show that WOA + PSO outperforms the others in achieving the objective of balancing operational efficiency and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]