Intermodal Humanitarian Logistics Using Unit Load Devices

Area of Science:

• Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Operations Research
• Disaster Management

Background:

• Intermodal freight transportation is crucial for global trade but under-researched in humanitarian logistics.
• Disaster response requires efficient and resilient transportation systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a resilient transportation framework for humanitarian logistics during disaster responses.
• To model intermodal transportation using interoperable loading devices and a time-space network.

Main Methods:

• Developed an integer programming model incorporating time-varying route and vehicle availabilities.
• Considered vehicles with varying capacities across ground, maritime, and air transport modes.
• Proposed two compatible unit load devices for humanitarian logistics.

Main Results:

• Intermodal transportation is cost-effective for consecutive demand periods and short response times.
• Inventory levels increase when large-capacity modes are used cost-effectively.
• Real-life dataset analysis confirmed benefits over single-mode transportation.

Conclusions:

• The responsiveness of intermodal transportation outweighs interchange and inventory costs for sudden-onset disasters.
• The proposed framework enhances resilience and efficiency in humanitarian aid delivery.
• Optimized intermodal strategies are vital for effective disaster response.