Effects of Foldable Containers in Various Circumstances in Maritime Transport

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effect of foldable containers in various circumstances. Recently, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many unexpected situations have arisen in the shipping and logistics industries. In this study, we examine three key situations: shutdowns, demand fluctuations, and fleet size fluctuations. Furthermore, we developed an integer programming model to analyze through experiments the effect of foldable containers in each situation. The results show that foldable containers have proven to be more effective than standard containers in many situations, and they facilitate a faster recovery from container imbalances. However, the optimal number of foldable containers differs in each situation, and the cost of foldable containers is high. To address this, we propose implementing effective container usage through lease policies. Additionally, we explore management countermeasures from the perspective of each market participant to expand the foldable container market.