Scheduling Vessels in Natural Inland Waterways

Although crucial to global logistics, inland ports grapple with persistent challenges. Foremost among these is the intricate task of planning cargo vessel journeys. Effective planning not only boosts port efficiency and reputation but is also paramount for operational safety. This challenge is particularly pronounced in natural waterways, where depth and width are subject to uncontrollable natural forces. Take, for instance, the Guadalquivir River, linking the Atlantic Ocean to the inland Port of Seville in the south of Spain. To address this, in this chapter we present a two-step strategy aimed at optimizing vessel journey times amidst varying water depths and encounter scenarios. The proposed solution delineates specific crossing times at boundary points along the waterway. We evaluate its advantages against a traditional first-come, first-served scheduling approach, focusing on optimality and feasibility.