Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach
Abstract In the rapidly evolving global marketplace, the logistics sector faces a multitude of challenges that demand implementation of more resilient solutions to respond to any future disturbance. Synchromodal transport, which is viewed as an extension of multimodal transport, is known as a key an...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2024-01-01
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Series: | European Transport Research Review |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-023-00624-y |
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author | Shafagh Alaei Javier Durán-Micco Cathy Macharis |
author_facet | Shafagh Alaei Javier Durán-Micco Cathy Macharis |
author_sort | Shafagh Alaei |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract In the rapidly evolving global marketplace, the logistics sector faces a multitude of challenges that demand implementation of more resilient solutions to respond to any future disturbance. Synchromodal transport, which is viewed as an extension of multimodal transport, is known as a key answer to this issue, as it provides more flexible and sustainable freight transport and also focuses on collaboration between different logistics players. We consider synchromodal transport as a collection of agents that not only have their own characteristics and behaviors, but also interact with each other, which impacts the entire system. In this paper, we study the system using an Agent-Based Modeling approach. The network represents the combination of long-haul and drayage transport, where pre-haulage and end-haulage are done only by truck, and the rest can be done by trucks, trains, or barges. A numerical experiment is conducted to evaluate cost savings and emissions reduction under different logistics service providers’ relation and re-routing scenarios. Our findings show that synchromodal scenarios are more economically and environmentally efficient, and that they lead to higher flexibility and reliability compared to business-as-usual scenarios. Additionally, our model verifies that the cost saving is considerable when logistics service providers collaborate with each other. The results of sensitivity analyses show consistent overall trends when comparing the different scenarios. Therefore, the conclusions drawn from the original experiment appear to be applicable, not only for that specific instance, but have broader relevance and applicability. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:24:00Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-18e7e8fe7ac640cdaa9f39cd2694db80 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1866-8887 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:24:00Z |
publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
publisher | SpringerOpen |
record_format | Article |
series | European Transport Research Review |
spelling | doaj.art-18e7e8fe7ac640cdaa9f39cd2694db802024-01-07T12:06:36ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Transport Research Review1866-88872024-01-0116111810.1186/s12544-023-00624-ySynchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approachShafagh Alaei0Javier Durán-Micco1Cathy Macharis2Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit BrusselFaculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit BrusselFaculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, Vrije Universiteit BrusselAbstract In the rapidly evolving global marketplace, the logistics sector faces a multitude of challenges that demand implementation of more resilient solutions to respond to any future disturbance. Synchromodal transport, which is viewed as an extension of multimodal transport, is known as a key answer to this issue, as it provides more flexible and sustainable freight transport and also focuses on collaboration between different logistics players. We consider synchromodal transport as a collection of agents that not only have their own characteristics and behaviors, but also interact with each other, which impacts the entire system. In this paper, we study the system using an Agent-Based Modeling approach. The network represents the combination of long-haul and drayage transport, where pre-haulage and end-haulage are done only by truck, and the rest can be done by trucks, trains, or barges. A numerical experiment is conducted to evaluate cost savings and emissions reduction under different logistics service providers’ relation and re-routing scenarios. Our findings show that synchromodal scenarios are more economically and environmentally efficient, and that they lead to higher flexibility and reliability compared to business-as-usual scenarios. Additionally, our model verifies that the cost saving is considerable when logistics service providers collaborate with each other. The results of sensitivity analyses show consistent overall trends when comparing the different scenarios. Therefore, the conclusions drawn from the original experiment appear to be applicable, not only for that specific instance, but have broader relevance and applicability.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-023-00624-ySynchromodal transportMultimodal transportAgent-based modellingSimulation |
spellingShingle | Shafagh Alaei Javier Durán-Micco Cathy Macharis Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach European Transport Research Review Synchromodal transport Multimodal transport Agent-based modelling Simulation |
title | Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach |
title_full | Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach |
title_fullStr | Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach |
title_full_unstemmed | Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach |
title_short | Synchromodal transport re-planning: an agent-based simulation approach |
title_sort | synchromodal transport re planning an agent based simulation approach |
topic | Synchromodal transport Multimodal transport Agent-based modelling Simulation |
url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12544-023-00624-y |
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