Exact and heuristic methods for the berth allocation problem with multiple continuous quays in tidal bulk terminals

• We consider berth allocation problem in tidal bulk port with multiple continuous quays. • To model and solve the problem we propose a mixed integer linear programming model. • A metaheuristic approach for dynamic and continuous BAP is also designed. • Experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the algorithms and model. The Berth Allocation Problem (BAP) is a primary seaside operations planning problem in bulk terminals. It consists of allocating quayside space to incoming vessels. In this article, the BAP for multiple continuous quays and dynamic arrivals is considered. The formulation considers the tidal constraints typical to exporting bulk terminals and restrictions regarding each vessel's possible quays. To solve the problem, a mixed-integer linear model is first presented. As the complexity of the problem grows exponentially with the size of the instances, an Iterated Local Search (ILS) approach is proposed to solve industrial-sized instances. The ILS approach works on sequences of vessels that are decoded using a bottom-left constructive heuristic. The initial sequences are obtained using a greedy scheduling heuristic that provides suitable starting solutions, especially for congested terminals. Extensive numerical experiments are carried on randomly generated instances for tidal bulk terminals and reported benchmark sets in literature. The results prove that the proposed ILS can provide good-quality solutions.