Autonomous vessel scheduling

Abstract

This study deals with an autonomous vessel scheduling problem when collaboration exists between port operators and an autonomous vessel company. A mixed-integer nonlinear programming model is developed, including decisions in assigning autonomous vessels to berths at each port and the optimal arrival time of each vessel at each port in an entire autonomous shipping network. This study aims to minimize the total cost of fuel consumption and the delay penalty of an autonomous vessel company. The nonlinear programming model is linearized and further solved using off-the-shelf solvers. Several experiments are conducted to test the effectiveness of the model and to draw insights for commercializing autonomous vessels. Results show that a company may speed up an autonomous vessel with short-distance voyage once fuel price decreases to gain additional benefits.