A hybrid adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm for the large-scale heterogeneous container loading problem

This paper aims to solve the large-scale heterogeneous container loading problem (HCLP), which is an extensive form of the multiple container loading problem, in a limited time. The target is to choose a set of containers of different sizes to accommodate all products and minimize the wasted space rate. Although the heterogeneous container selection problem is a general problem in the logistics industry, few related studies have been conducted. This study also considers some practical constraints, such as weight limits and suspension constraints. A hybrid adaptive large neighborhood search (HALNS) algorithm, which includes a set of original destroy-repair operators, especially for heterogeneous container selection problems, and integrates a heuristic packing algorithm, is proposed to solve the problem in an acceptable time. To verify the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, computational experiments on real-world instances from a multinational logistics company are performed, and the results are compared with those of other existing algorithms. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms other algorithms for the HCLP.

Automated summary

This paper aims to solve the large-scale heterogeneous container loading problem with a hybrid adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm. Computational experiments show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other algorithms for the HCLP.