A Sustainable Intermodal Location-Routing Optimization Approach: A Case Study of the Bohai Rim Region

The optimal intermodal nodes and routes are two of the most challenging issues for intermodal participants. We present a two-phase approach that includes the fuzzy c-means clustering method (FCM) and a multi-objective optimization model to solve intermodal location-routing issues. A weighted sum technique and a genetic algorithm (GA) are designed to address this model. The two-phase approach is beneficial in meeting different market demand preferences of intermodal participants. It also has applications in solving the sustainable intermodal location-routing problems, further solving the network optimization problem in large-scale scenarios. A typical intermodal transport network in the Bohai Rim region is used to verify the effectiveness of this approach. The results provide references for the participants in the Bohai Rim region to choose the optimal intermodal nodes and routes. The findings also offer theoretical insights for optimizing intermodal networks in other regions of China, with goals of improving sustainable transport efficiencies.