Collaborative optimization of routing and stowage for commodity vehicle RoRo ships considering port inventory

This paper studied the problem of distributing commodities for RoRo ships. Taking into account the initial inventory level at each demand port, the paper proposes a flexible calling strategy for RoRo ships transporting commodity vehicles within multiple voyage planning periods. A collaborative optimization model for routing and stowage was established for RoRo ships, and an improved genetic algorithm was designed to solve it. The results of the numerical example demonstrate that this flexible calling strategy can reduce the total distribution cost of RoRo ships by 1.9%. There is a difference of about 4% in fuel consumption between large and small RoRo ships for round-trip voyages on the same route. Shipping companies can also reduce total costs by arranging different types of RoRo ship for distribution. When the safety stock is set to a moderate level, the total cost during the planning period is minimized. These research conclusions can provide a useful reference for shipping companies when making decisions about the distribution of commodities with RoRo ships.