An online algorithm for the container stacking problem

Efficient cargo handling is a key element for a maritime port to compete and provide good service levels to its users. The performance of a port is related to ship-turnaround, which is conditioned by the ships loading and unloading operational efficiency. At the yard, containers are temporarily stacked in order to later either load them onto a ship or dispatch them to external users. Stacking has a strong impact on ships’ service times. This paper proposes a container stacking policy, considering the particular characteristics of a container terminal in Chile. In order to measure the performance of the procedure, an upper bound for the number of re-handles of containers is estimated as a function of the block’s capacity. Numerical results are provided in comparison to an upper bound, and a good performance by the proposed procedure is demonstrated.