Dynamic PIN Port Selection for Maritime Freight Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maritime port disruptions due to factors like weather, traffic, labor shortages, or mechanical failures can lead to suboptimal routing of freight, failing to meet time and cost constraints and resulting in higher emissions, as existing PI models rely on pre-selected ports without dynamic adaptation.
Innovation Solution
A method for dynamic PIN port selection in the Physical Internet (PI) that computes a routing score for alternative maritime ports based on a corridor connectivity index combining inland and maritime connectivity values, allowing for real-time diversion of freight to an optimal secondary port, thus minimizing disruptions and adhering to cost, time, and emissions constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a primary maritime port is pre-selected as a PIN in the PI model, then the routing plan can be established in advance with optimal cost and throughput, but the system cannot adapt to disruption events such as weather, traffic, labor shortages, or mechanical failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic PIN selection by enabling the system to transition from static pre-selected ports to dynamic alternative port selection when disruption events occur. The routing score computation and alternative PIN identification allow the system to adapt port selections in real-time based on current conditions, resolving the contradiction between reliability of pre-planning and adaptability to disruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-identifying and scoring alternative PINs and their associated maritime ports before disruption events occur. The system computes routing scores for multiple alternative ports in advance, so when a disruption event happens, the switch to an alternative port can be executed immediately without delay, maintaining both reliability and adaptability.
2Speed
If an alternative maritime port is selected quickly in response to a disruption event, then the decision can be expedited, but the selection may fail to meet time and cost constraints and result in higher emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent computes routing scores for multiple alternative PINs and their associated maritime ports in advance, before any disruption event occurs. This preliminary scoring of alternative options enables the system to make rapid decisions when disruptions happen while ensuring that the selected alternative still meets time and cost constraints, as the scores were pre-calculated based on these criteria.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts port selection based on computed routing scores that incorporate multiple constraints. When a disruption occurs, the system can quickly identify the best alternative port by referencing pre-computed scores, achieving both speed in decision-making and reliability in constraint satisfaction through the dynamic selection process.
3Ease of operation
If the PI model uses pre-selected PINs without dynamic adaptation, then the routing is simple to manage, but the system cannot respond to factors like weather, traffic, labor shortages, or mechanical failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the PI model to automatically identify alternative PINs and compute routing scores when disruption events occur, without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously selects alternative maritime ports based on pre-computed scores, maintaining ease of operation while gaining adaptability to disruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by monitoring for disruption events and automatically triggering the alternative PIN selection process when disruptions are detected. This feedback loop allows the system to respond to weather, traffic, labor shortages, and mechanical failures while maintaining simple management through automated responses.
4Loss of time
If alternative maritime ports are selected without computing routing scores based on corridor connectivity index, then the selection process is faster, but the ecological cost in terms of emissions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent computes routing scores for alternative PINs based on corridor connectivity index in advance, before disruption events occur. This preliminary computation of environmental and operational metrics allows the system to quickly select low-emission alternative ports when disruptions happen, without incurring time penalties during the actual decision-making process.
Data Source
AI summary
Physical Internet (PI) dynamic principal interface node (PIN) port selection includes selecting a primary maritime port as a PIN in a routing of freight aboard a sea going vessel from an origin node to a destination node in a PI model and receiving a disruption event in the PI model indicating an inability of the vessel to berth at the primary maritime port. A cluster of alternative PINs is determined in connection with the destination node of the PI model and a routing score computed for each alternative PIN based upon a cost of routing the freight through each alternative PIN. Finally, a new routing is established in the PI model utilizing an optimal alternative PIN in lieu of the selected PIN based upon a corresponding routing score, and a message is transmitted to the vessel to divert to a secondary maritime port associated with the optimal alternative PIN.