Modelos de otimização para a distribuição de combustíveis em curta distância marítima

Doutoramento em Matemática e AplicaçõesO transporte marítimo e o principal meio de transporte de mercadorias em todo o mundo. Combustíveis e produtos petrolíferos representam grande parte das mercadorias transportadas por via marítima. Sendo Cabo Verde um arquipelago o transporte por mar desempenha um papel de grande relevância na economia do país. Consideramos o problema da distribuicao de combustíveis em Cabo Verde, onde uma companhia e responsavel por coordenar a distribuicao de produtos petrolíferos com a gestão dos respetivos níveis armazenados em cada porto, de modo a satisfazer a procura dos varios produtos. O objetivo consiste em determinar políticas de distribuicão de combustíveis que minimizam o custo total de distribuiçao (transporte e operacões) enquanto os n íveis de armazenamento sao mantidos nos n íveis desejados. Por conveniencia, de acordo com o planeamento temporal, o prob¬lema e divido em dois sub-problemas interligados. Um de curto prazo e outro de medio prazo. Para o problema de curto prazo sao discutidos modelos matemáticos de programacao inteira mista, que consideram simultaneamente uma medicao temporal cont ínua e uma discreta de modo a modelar multiplas janelas temporais e taxas de consumo que variam diariamente. Os modelos sao fortalecidos com a inclusão de desigualdades validas. O problema e então resolvido usando um "software" comercial. Para o problema de medio prazo sao inicialmente discutidos e comparados varios modelos de programacao inteira mista para um horizonte temporal curto assumindo agora uma taxa de consumo constante, e sao introduzidas novas desigualdades validas. Com base no modelo escolhido sao compara¬das estrategias heurísticas que combinam três heur ísticas bem conhecidas: "Rolling Horizon", "Feasibility Pump" e "Local Branching", de modo a gerar boas soluçoes admissíveis para planeamentos com horizontes temporais de varios meses. Finalmente, de modo a lidar com situaçoes imprevistas, mas impor¬tantes no transporte marítimo, como as mas condicões meteorológicas e congestionamento dos portos, apresentamos um modelo estocastico para um problema de curto prazo, onde os tempos de viagens e os tempos de espera nos portos sao aleatórios. O problema e formulado como um modelo em duas etapas, onde na primeira etapa sao tomadas as decisões relativas as rotas do navio e quantidades a carregar e descarregar e na segunda etapa (designada por sub-problema) sao consideradas as decisoes (com recurso) relativas ao escalonamento das operacões. O problema e resolvido por um metodo de decomposto que usa um algoritmo eficiente para separar as desigualdades violadas no sub-problema.Maritime transportation is a major mode of transportation of goods worldwide. Most of cargo of the maritime transport accounted for liquid cargo oil and petroleum products. As Cape Verde is an archipelago, maritime transportation is of great importance for the local economic activity. We consider a fuel oil distribution problem where an oil company is responsible for the coordination of the distribution of oil products with the inventory management of those products at ports in order to satisfy the demands for the several oil products. The objective is to determine distribution policies that minimize the routing and operating costs, while inventory levels are maintained within given limits. For convenience, the planning problem is divided into two related subproblems accordingly to the length of the planning horizon: A short- term and medium-term planning. For the short-term planning problem we discuss mathematical mixed integer programming models that combine continuous and discrete time measures in order to handle with multiple time windows and a daily varying consumption rate of the various oil products. These models are strengthened with valid inequalities. Then the problem is solved using a commercial software. For the second subproblem several mixed integer formulations are discussed and compared for a short time horizon, and assuming constant consumption rates and new valid inequalities are introduced. Then, based on the chosen model, we compare several heuristic strategies that combine the well-known Rolling Horizon, Feasibility Pump and Local Branching heuristics, in or¬der to derive good feasible solutions for planning horizons of several months. Finally, as weather conditions and ports congestion are very impor¬tant in maritime transportation, we present a stochastic model for a short sea shipping problem, where traveling and waiting time are random. The problem is formulated as a two stage recourse problem, where in the first stage the routing and the load/unload quantities are defined, and in the second stage (subproblem) the scheduling of operations is determined. The problem is solved by a decomposition method that uses an efficient separation algorithm to include inequalities from the subproblem

Discrete time and continuous time formulations for a short sea inventory routing problem

We consider a fuel oil distribution problem where an oil company is responsible for the routing and scheduling of ships between ports such that the demand for various fuel oil products is satisfied during the planning horizon. The production/consumption rates are given and assumed to be constant. We provide two alternative mixed integer formulations: a discrete time model adapted from the case where the production/consumption rates are varying and a classical continuous time formulation. We discuss different extended formulations and valid inequalities that allow us to reduce the linear gap of the two initial formulations. A computational study comparing the various models accordingly to their size, linear gap and running time, was conducted based on real small-size instances, using a commercial software

A maritime inventory routing problem with stochastic sailing and port times

This paper describes a stochastic short sea shipping problem where a company is responsible for both the distribution of oil products between islands and the inventory management of those products at consumption storage tanks located at ports. In general, ship routing and scheduling is associated with uncertainty in weather conditions and unpredictable waiting times at ports. In this work, both sailing times and port times are considered to be stochastic parameters. A two-stage stochastic programming model with recourse is presented where the first stage consists of routing, loading and unloading decisions, and the second stage consists of scheduling and inventory decisions. The model is solved using a decomposition approach similar to an L-shaped algorithm where optimality cuts are added dynamically, and this solution process is embedded within the sample average approximation method. A computational study based on real-world instances is presented

Discrete time and continuous time formulations for a short sea inventory routing problem

We consider a fuel oil distribution problem where an oil company is responsible for the routing and scheduling of ships between ports such that the demand for various fuel oil products is satisfied during the planning horizon. Inventory management considerations are taken into account at the demand side only, and consumption rates are given and assumed to be constant. We provide two alternative mixed integer formulations: a discrete time model adapted from the case where the consumption rates are varying and a classical continuous time formulation. We discuss different extended formulations and valid inequalities that allow us to reduce the linear gap of the two initial formulations. A computational study comparing the various models accordingly to their size, linear gap and running time, was conducted based on real small-size instances, using a commercial software

Hybrid heuristics for a maritime short sea inventory routing problem

We consider a short sea fuel oil distribution problem where an oil company is responsible for the routing and scheduling of ships between ports such that the demand for various fuel oil products is satisfied during the planning horizon. The inventory management has to be considered at the demand side only, and the consumption rates are given and assumed to be constant within the planning horizon. The objective is to determine distribution policies that minimize the routing and operating costs, while the inventory levels are maintained within their limits. We propose an arc-load flow formulation for the problem which is tightened with valid inequalities. In order to obtain good feasible solutions for planning horizons of several months, we compare different hybridization strategies. Computational results are reported for real small-size instances

Comparative ecology of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.1758), in a large Iberian river

A total of 1,816 eels were sampled in 1988, from seven sampling areas. Four areas were located in brackish water and the remaining three were located in freshwater reaches of the Tagus river basin. Eels were more abundant in the middle estuary and decreased both in the upstream and in the downstream directions, with a predominance of males in higher density areas. Smaller individuals preferred more peripheral areas, such as margins and upper reaches in the brackish water zone, and the tributaries of the freshwater habitats. It was assumed that this distribution pattern resulted from three main factors: (i) the dominance of larger specimens; (ii) the need to avoid predators and; (iii) the search for better trophic conditions. The condition of the individuals generally decreased toward the upper reaches, apparently due to a corresponding decrease in feeding intensity. The presence of the Belver dam in the main river, 158 km upstream from the sea, seemed to impose major alterations to the described patterns. The concentration of specimens below this impassable obstacle yielded a reduction in the proportion of females and a decrease in the condition and survival of the eels, contributing to a reduction in the spawning success of this population. Suggestions to diminish the effects of the dam, and to preserve the fishery are also presente

Mixed integer formulatins for a short sea fuel oil distribution problem

We consider a short sea fuel oil distribution problem occurring in the archipelago at Cape Verde. Here, an oil company is responsible for the routing and scheduling of ships between the islands such that the demand for various fuel oil products is satisfied during the planning horizon. Inventory management considerations are taken into account at the demand side but not at the supply side. The ports have restricted opening hours each day, so multiple time windows are considered. In contrast to the ships in many other studies within ship routing and scheduling, ships here spend considerable time in the ports compared to at sea. Hence, the time in port is modeled in detail by incorporating both a variable (un)loading time and a setup time for loading different products in the same ports. A mathematical model of the problem is presented and it includes a combined continuous and discrete time horizon because of the multiple time windows and a daily varying consumption rate of the various products in the different ports. We discuss several strategies to improve the proposed model, such as tightening bounds, using extended formulations, and including valid inequalities. The computational study shows that the real problem can be solved to optimality within reasonable time by the use of improved formulations based on a combination of such strategies

Hybrid heuristics for a short sea inventory routing problem

We consider a short sea fuel oil distribution problem where an oil company is responsible for the routing and scheduling of ships between ports such that the demand for various fuel oil products is satisfied during the planning horizon. The inventory management has to be considered at the demand side only, and the consumption rates are given and assumed to be constant within the planning horizon. The objective is to determine distribution policies that minimize the routing and operating costs, while the inventory levels are maintained within their limits. We propose an arc-load flow formulation for the problem which is tightened with valid inequalities. In order to obtain good feasible solutions for planning horizons of several months, we compare different hybridization strategies. Computational results are reported for real small-size instances

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry combined with multivariate data analysis for pattern recognition in Ecuadorian spirits

Abstract The current methodology used in quality control of Ecuadorian beverages such as Pájaro azúl, Puro and Pata de vaca is carried out by using conventional gas chromatography; however, it does not allow the fingerprinting of these Ecuadorian spirit beverages and their possible cases of adulteration. In order to overcome this drawback, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC × GC–MS) was combined with multivariate data analysis, revealing that compounds like citronellal, citronellol, geraniol, methyl anthranilate, (−)-trans-α-bergamotene, (−)-cis-α-bergamotene and d-limonene can be considered key elements for pattern recognition of these traditional beverages and product adulteration cases. Thus, the two-dimensional chromatographic fingerprints obtained by GC × GC–MS coupled with chemometric analysis, using Principal Component Analysis and Fisher-ratio can be considered as a potential strategy for adulteration recognition, and it may used as a quality assurance system for Ecuadorian traditional spirits