Choosing Multimodal Freight Mix: An Integrated Multi-Objective Multicriteria Approach

Multimodal freight transportation emerges as the go-to strategy for cost-effectively and sustainably moving goods over long distances. In a multimodal freight system, where a single contract includes various transportation methods, businesses aiming for economic success must make well-informed decisions about which modes of transport to use. These decisions prioritize secure deliveries, competitive cost advantages, and the minimization of environmental footprints associated with transportation-related pollution. Within the dynamic landscape of logistics innovation, various multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches empower businesses to evaluate freight transport options thoroughly. In this study, we utilize a case study to demonstrate the application of the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) algorithm for MCDM decision-making in freight mode selection. We further enhance the TOPSIS framework by integrating the entropy weight coefficient method. This enhancement aids in assigning precise weights to each criterion involved in mode selection, leading to a more reliable decision-making process. The proposed model provides cost-effective and timely deliveries, minimizing environmental footprint and meeting consumers’ needs. Our findings reveal that freight carbon footprint is the primary concern, followed by freight cost, time sensitivity, and service reliability. The study identifies the combination of Rail/Truck as the ideal mode of transport and containers in flat cars (COFC) as the next best option for the selected case. The proposed algorithm, incorporating the enhanced TOPSIS framework, benefits companies navigating the complexities of multimodal transport. It empowers making more strategic and informed transportation decisions. This demonstration will be increasingly valuable as companies navigate the ever-growing trade within the global supply chains.

A review on passenger emergency evacuation from multimodal transportation hubs

Multimodal transportation hubs serve as transfer points with the function of collecting,transferring,and distributing passengers and play a significant role in the entire multimodal transportation network.In an emergency,the development of an effective and efficient emergency evacuation strategy to evacuate passengers from multimodal transportation hubs is very important.This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive review on passenger emergency evacuations from multimodal transportation hubs,summarize the achievements,identify gaps in existing literature,thus to lay a solid foundation for future studies.This paper first reviewed studies on evacuee behavior characteristics in emergency evacuations,including pedestrian characteristics,pedestrian behavior characteristics,and pedestrian flow characteristics.Then evacuation models,including pedestrian evacuation models and multimodal transportation evacuation models,were investigated.In addition,a retrospective analysis was carried out for evacuation simulation.It is found that while many studies have been conducted on passenger emergency evacuations from multimodal transportation hubs,most of them focus more on evacuating pedestrians from inside to outside of hub buildings;the studies on evacuation at multimodal transfer points are limited.It is also found that most existing studies tried to establish a general model to handle all types of emergency evacuations;in fact,a model would be more efficient if it is just established for a specific emergency and for a specific type of hubs.Also,existing data collection methods may collect biased data;new data collection methods need to be explored to increase the accuracy of data collection.Future study directions include the evacuation at multimodal transfer points,interactive effects between individual pedestrian behavior and pedestrian group behavior,more specific types of emergency evacuations,more accurate data collection methods,and tradeoffs between cost and benefit in emergency evacuations.

Joint slot allocation and dynamic pricing of container sea-rail multimodal transportation

The container sea-rail multimodal transport system faces complex challenges with de- mand uncertainties for joint slot allocation and dynamic pricing. The challenge is formulated as a two-stage optimal model based on revenue management （RM） as actual slots sale of multi-node container sea-rail multimodal transport usually includes contract sale to large shippers and free sale to scattered shippers. First stage in the model utilizes an origin-destination control approach, formulated as a stochastic integer programming equation, to settle long-term slot allocation in the contract market and empty container allocation. Second stage in the model is formulated as a stochastic nonlinear programming equation to solve a multiproduct joint dynamic pricing and inventory control problem for price settling and slot allocation in each period of free market. Considering the random nature of demand, the methods of chance constrained programming and robust optimi- zation are utilized to transform stochastic models into deterministic models. A numerical experiment is presented to verify the availability of models and solving methods. Results of considering uncertain/certain demand are compared, which show that the two-stage optimal strategy integrating slot allocation with dynamic pricing considering random de- mand is revealed to increase the revenue for multimodal transport operators （MTO） while concurrently satisfying shippers＇ demand. Research resulting from this paper will contribute to the theory and practice of container sea-rail multimodal transport revenue management and provide a scientific decision-making tool for MTO.

Determining capacity of multimodal multi-commodities freight transportation network from critical link volumes

The commodity transportation capacity between all origin-destination （ OD ） pairs over the multimodal multi-commodities freight transportation network （MMFTN） is determined. A multi-ob- jectives mathematical model is formulated for determining the OD capacity over the MMFTN accord- ing to a transporting capacity matrix that increased from the reference matrixes. The corresponding incremental factor for estimating the capacity matrix is obtained via the maximal likelihood estima- tion method that samples data of differences between the estimated commodity volumes and carrying capacities of the critical links. The proposed formulations are tested by an experimental highway and railroad freight transportation network in an existing literature. The relevant results of OD capacities are displayed and applicability of the algorithm is certified.

Vulnerability analysis of multimodal transport networks based on complex network theory

To explore the structural characteristics and vulnerability of multimodal transport networks,this study identifies the structural characteristics of a multimodal transport network on the basis of the complex network theory.Key nodes are clarified from the analysis of the structural characteristics.The characteristic path length and percentage of the largest subgraph are applied to analyze the vulnerability of the multimodal transport network after random and intentional attacks on the nodes.The network of a multimodal transport company is taken as an example in the empirical analysis.Results show that with more than ten nodes under a random attack,the percentage of the largest subgraph is less than 20%,and the characteristic path length is less than 2.The same performance is observed for more than seven nodes under an intentional attack.The multimodal transport network is more vulnerable under an international attack against key nodes.The results of the topology and node failure under random or intentional attacks would support the management of the multimodal transport network.Suggestions for the emergency transportation organization of enterprises under attacks are proposed accordingly.These suggestions should help improve network invulnerability and recovery from node failure.

Linking strategies to optimize the robustness of multimodal transport network

In view of the problem that the multimodal transport network is vulnerable to attack and faces the risk of cascading failure,three low polarization linking strategies considering the characteristics of the multimodal transport network are proposed to optimize network robustness.They are the low polarization linking strategy based on the degree of nodes(D_LPLS),low polarization linking strategy based on the betweenness of nodes(B_LPLS),and low polarization linking strategy based on the closeness of nodes(C_LPLS).The multimodal transport network in the Sichuan-Tibet region is analyzed,and the optimization effects of these three strategies are compared with the random linking strategy under random attacks and intentional attacks.The results show that C_LPLS can effectively optimize the robustness of the network.Under random attacks,the advantages of C_LPLS are obvious when the ratio of increased links is less than 15%,but it has fewer advantages compared with B_LPLS when the ratio of increased links is 15%to 30%.Under intentional attacks,as the ratio of increased links goes up,the advantages of C_LPLS become more obvious.Therefore,the increase of links by C_LPLS is conducive to the risk control of the network,which can provide theoretical support for the optimization of future multimodal transport network structures.

China Multimodal Transport Waits to ＂Speed Up＂

Seamless transportation of goods seems to be the inevitable trend for the modern logistics industry. Logistics is currently making a transition to multimodal transport from the single-mode.

Analysis of Short Sea Shipping-Based Logistics Corridors in the Baltic Sea Region

Despite recent turbulences in global economy, the growth of global trade volumes is expected to continue in the future, leading to increased demands on the performance of logistics networks. The political framework for EU （European Union） Transport Policy Development is presented in the EU White Paper on Transport 2011 in order to build a competitive European transport system. One significant aspect is the promotion of multimodal transport in order to decrease terrestrial transport services （road and rail） and to increase services in the maritime transport sector, especially considering the relief of road and railway infrastructure. Looking at the present situation, SSS （Short Sea Shipping） is already used in many different transport fields all around the world. However, there still exists a great potential which currently is not used or not sufficiently exploited for many different reasons. In order to identify the potential use of SSS in multimodal transport, different scenarios in the Baltic Sea Region and the adjoining hinterland have been developed pointing out alternative solutions for routing. These options are analyzed in detail and evaluated from different perspectives （i.e. transport and handling costs, time consumption and transport-related emissions）. Afterwards, advantages and disadvantages of each alternative will be examined by taking into account economic and ecological aspects in making decision.

The Role of Short Sea Shipping Concept in Black SeaRegion as a Connection between Eurasian TransportSystems

Despite of fluctuations in world trade as a result of economic cycles,the evolution of the political processes remains the trend of sustained growth of trade flows.This ends up in a rise in both the demand for logistics services and the requirements for them.In this sense,the critically important is the strategic development of the transport systems as a support for the improvement of competitive logistics.An important aspect is the promotion of multimodal transport,which in search of the best transport solutions will reduce the use of relatively expensive and environmentally unfriendly road transportation.This will be at the expense of the efficient combination of different modes in which the concept of short sea shipping(SSS)occupies a central place.Although this concept is widely applied in many places in the Black Sea,it still has significant potential.It was prompted by stagnation in economic relations as a result of political and economic crises in the region since the late twentieth and early twenty-first century.To evaluate the potential of the concept in the development of transport is done research on intermodal logistics network in the logistics corridor Central Asia-Central Europe.To optimize intermodal transport links a comparative analysis of the various transport alternatives on the route Tehran-Budapest is done.On this basis it is made optimization assessment on three main criteria cost,delivery time and environmental protection and basic recommendations on strategic planning development of the Bulgarian transport infrastructure are given.An essential aspect is the encouragement of multimodal transportation,which in looking for the best transport solutions can cut back the utilization of comparatively costly and environmentally harmful road transportation.This would be at the expense of the adequate combination of different modes of transportation in which the concept of SSS has a fundamental area.Despite this concept is widely applied in various regions,in the Black Sea it still has an important future due to stagnation in economic relations as a result of political confrontations and economic crises within the region since the late twentieth and early twenty-first century.To assess the capability of the concept in the development of transport is done research on intermodal logistics network in the logistics corridor Central Asia-Central Europe.To improve intermodal transport links a comparative analysis of the various transport options on the routes Astana-Budapest and Tehran-Budapest are made.On this basis it is proposed an optimization assessment on three main criteria cost,delivery time and environmental protection,and fundamental suggestions on strategic development of the Bulgarian transport infrastructure are proposed.