Title: Definition of optimal fleets for Sea Motorways: the case of France and Spain on the Atlantic coast

Authors: Alba Martínez-López; Pilar Caamaño Sobrino; Laura Castro Santos

Addresses: Department of Marine and Oceanic Engineering, University of A Coruña, Edificio de Talleres, (Campus de Esteiro), C/Mendizábal, 15403, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain ' Integrated Group for Engineering Research, University of A Coruña, Edificio de Talleres, (Campus de Esteiro), C/Mendizábal, 15403, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain ' Department of Marine and Oceanic Engineering, University of A Coruña, Edificio de Talleres, (Campus de Esteiro), C/Mendizábal, 15403, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain

Abstract: This work introduces an optimisation model to define the technical and operative features of fleets, which maximises the success opportunities in terms of cost and time for multimodal chains against the road. This model regards the relationships among technical alternatives for fleets, vessels, port facilities, cargo units and their influence on the activity of 'many to many' transport networks through short sea shipping. From the resolution of the model, it is possible to define not only the kind and number of vessels and cargo units, their manoeuvre means, speed and cargo handling systems, but also their naval architecture and engineering. A multiobjective evolutionary algorithm, the NSGA-II, has been applied to resolve this model as applied to multimodal chains between Spain and France through the Atlantic coast. Its application allows to verifying the utility of the model proposed. Finally, the most suitable fleets for the Sea Motorways Vigo-St.Nazaire and Gijón-St.Nazaire have been identified.

Keywords: sea motorways; fleet management; nonlinear modelling; optimisation models; evolutionary algorithms; Spain; France; multimodal chains; road transport; multimodal transport; technical alternatives; fleets; vessels; port facilities; cargo units; transport networks; short sea shipping; SSS; manoeuvre means; vessel speed; cargo handling; naval architecture; naval engineering; genetic algorithms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2015.065898

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2015 Vol.7 No.1, pp.89 - 113

Received: 12 Jan 2013
Accepted: 31 Jan 2014

Published online: 21 Jan 2015 *

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