Optimisation models and gain sharing mechanisms for partners cooperating in logistics networks
This PhD project studies how independent logistics partners can cooperate horizontally — sharing vehicles, routes, and delivery zones — to reduce costs and environmental impact while remaining individually satisfied with the outcome. We developed multi-objective and selective vehicle routing formulations that integrate each partner's individual objectives directly into the optimisation model, rather than treating the coalition as a single decision maker.
A second strand of the work focuses on gain sharing: once a coalition's joint cost savings are computed, how should they be distributed among partners in a way that is fair and keeps the coalition stable? This was studied both theoretically and through a case study in the fresh fruit and vegetables sector. Methodological contributions include a two-level variable neighbourhood search for the clustered vehicle routing problem and multi-objective models for the collaborative travelling salesman problem, disseminated across international conferences and journals throughout the project.