Optimizing Transportation between Sea Ports and Regions by Road Transport and Rail and Inland Waterway Transport Means Including “Last Mile” Solutions

Abstract

Optimization transportation cargo and passengers between ports and regions are very important, because industrial regions are located some distance from ports. The demand for energy request for the movement of transport is a necessity in the modern world. Transport and activity called transportation are used daily, everywhere, and a lot of energy is needed to power the various transport modes. Today different transport modes are being used to transport passengers and cargo. It is quite common to use road transport, which can transport passengers and cargo from door to door. Considering alternative possibilities (road, railway and/or inland waterway transport), it is important, based on theoretical and experimentation, to identify optimal solutions. In finding transport modes that are either most technically or economically effective, we could unearth possible solutions which would require minimal energy use. Unfortunately, with increased transportation, this often leads to traffic congestion on the roads, which requires additional energy (fuel). This situation generates requirements from many stakeholders in terms of finding ways to decrease the transportation time and energy (fuel) consumed by transport modes. A theoretical method evaluation is conducted on the optimal transportation possibility that minimizes transportation time and energy (fuel) use by employing graph theory, which is presented in this paper. The scientific contribution is the development of a transport modes comparative index, which is then used for evaluations. This paper presents possible alternative transportation conditions based on a multi-criteria evaluation system, proposes a theoretical basis for the optimal solutions from an eco-economic perspective that considers energy, and provides for experimental testing during a specific case study. The final results from the case study provide recommendations and conclusions.