Intermodal logistics: Supporting planning and scheduling services of freight forwarder

Over the years the shipping sector has gained a fundamental role when talking about Global Trade. This paper presents a simulation platform for intermodal container shipping operations mainly devoted to support freight forwarders operations. The simulator is able to recreate long haul import and export container intermodal shipments with pick-up and delivery points on a world map. Input data for the simulations are available from two different databases, namely the Web Database able to retrieve data directly from the web and the Historical Database that makes use of historical data and time series collected by the forwarders companies operating long haul containers shipments in the port of Gioia Tauro, Italy. As part of the simulation, a number of different Key Performance Indicators are included and can be used to support expeditions planning, scheduling and scenarios comparison.