Jesús Ezequiel Martínez1; María de Lourdes Eguren Martí2
1. Department of Nautical Science & Engineering. Technical University of Catalonia
2. Mathematics & Systems Engineer Faculty. Metropolitan University of Caracas.
ABSTRACT
During the supply chain, the containers pass through different stages, either with or without merchandise, as we know it to this logistics cycle of the container.
Within this cycle, once the container is emptied and the customer returns it to the owner, it’s taken to the depot for maintenance, step that is mandatory in order to return to the cycle of export. In that cycle passes through different stages such as the inspections, the budget request for authorization to be repaired, authorization, repair and subsequent use in export. All this takes place in an indeterminate time, with costs associated with each of these cycles and a fixed cost for each day that passes in the reservoir.
The quality of the management of the reservoir represents, in most cases, is a strategic point in the operation, productivity and systematization of this chain creating added value that in most cases is detrimental to shipowners. Considering that is a non productive cycle, the cost savings is the most important parameter to consider.
The container storage in the reservoir has a daily cost for each unit, and cost increases when a significant percentage of that unit spends 30 days at the depot. Due to this reason the stock policy was set to FIFO (First In-First Out), which in most cases due to the poor planning of the area, supported by the mismanagement of the tank is not followed up, generating an excessive expense that becomes a black hole in the finances of the shipowners.
In this article is intended, through a mathematical study and a management point of view to make an analytical description of the cycle of the container in the reservoir, with the aim of improving its operation, while minimizing the costs incurred during this stage of this non-productive transport unit.
KEYWORDS
Cost’s saving, FIFO policy, Container’s depot, optimization of the empty container’s cycle.
