AI-generated Key Takeaways
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The Shipping Network Design API optimizes liner shipping networks to minimize costs and maximize revenue by determining port selection, vessel allocation, and routes.
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The API considers port details, vessel classes, possible routes, and cargo demands as input to generate efficient vessel service schedules and commodity demand paths.
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Users can access the API by following setup instructions and find a usage example to get started.
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Problem-solving is limited to 500 seconds with constraints on the number of ports and demands, with options for larger problems available through contact.
Shipping Network Design is an API to tackle the Liner Shipping Network Design and Scheduling Problem (LSNDSP). The problem involves the design and scheduling of a liner shipping network that minimizes operational costs, while maximizing revenue from the shipping of commodity demand between ports. The network design subproblem focuses on determining the set of ports serviced by the network, the number of vessels to be allocated to each route, and the routes to be taken by the vessels. The scheduling subproblem, is concerned with developing sailing schedules for the vessels, considering factors such as sailing time between ports, cargo loading, unloading and transshipment times, and the demand for transportation between different ports.
API overview
The input of the API is a request that describes
- Ports with vessel class specific costs and restrictions
- Vessel classes with capacity and fleet size
- Leg candidates corresponding to possible connections between ports for a given duration and vessel class compatibility
- Demands between ports, with freight rate and optional transit time restrictions
- (optional) Existing vessel services
For details about the input request, refer to the request section in the REST reference.
The output of the API is a response providing vessel services and commodity demand paths. Vessel service schedules are defined as a sequence of leg candidates with a given departure time. Each vessel service has an assigned vessel class. Commodity demand paths are described as sequences of vessel service legs.
For details about the output response, refer to the response section in the REST reference.
How to get started
To obtain access to the Shipping Network Design API, follow the steps on the Setup page.
Once you have access, you can verify that everything works by following the example on the API example page.