This paper deals with the development of the generalized model to assist the empty container repositioning and leasing problems for liner shipping companies. For this, the existing models have been reviewed. And then a mathematical model has been proposed to handle the specific characteristics of the empty container management; the dynamic characteristics, the multi echelon of the transportation and distribution systems, and the substitutions among various container types. In particular, this paper puts an emphasis on the modeling framework for considering substitutions among various container types.

In this paper, we compare and analyze the current state of the productivity of the stevedoring work among several container terminals in 1999. Based on these results of analysis, we firstly classify several factors which impede the efficient operations of container terminal as follows ; late arrival of container beyond cargo closing time(CCT), change of port of destination, change of vessel, and return cargo. Such factors are major cause for the cargo rehandling on terminals, thus deteriorate the overall performance of transfer crane during the stevedoring work. In order to improve the productivity of container terminal, we suggest that it is necessary for establishing and operating the efficient logistics management system. Especially, we emphasize the importance of information exchange on the scheduled cargoes among the relevant parties such as shippers, shipping companies, and terminal operators, which is the most effective way to alleviate the cargo rehandling.

Container terminal productivity is a critical factor for both the terminal operator and liner companies. For the former it is a determinant factor of the competitiveness and profit of terminal, and for the later it is one that determines ships' tern round time and hence ships' operation costs. The concept and measures of productivity are however not well defined and unified throughout terminals in the world. This paper therefore deals with the empirical study on the evaluation of container terminal productivity. It first clarifies the concept of terminal productivity, and secondly based on the actual data on container terminals in and outside Korea, productivity is evaluated and compared. Finally, problems hampered efficient operation of Korean terminals are derived, and several comments are suggested for solving them.

This study aims to apply and examine the stochastic approach for empty container repositioning and leasing problem. For this a case study has been carried out on actual data such as various cost components and traffic flow. The results reveal that the proposed methodology produces more realistic results than the conventional deterministic approaches. It is also found that the results are significantly affected by the accuracy of demand and supply forecast.

This paper is concerned with the development of a tractable model to assist liner shipping companies in the decision-making of empty container repositioning and leasing. A hybrid methodology is presented which properly accounts for the specific characteristics of empty container management. For this mathematical models are developed based on dynamic network models, covering both land and marine segment. Then a stochastic method is presented to deal with the uncertainty of the future demand and supply. Especially, the concept of opportunity cost has been introduced in order to explain interactions between the variation of the future demand and supply and the stock level at each depot.