The Extended Gateway Concept in Port Hinterland Container Logistics: A Theoretical Network Programming Formulation

This paper presents a theoretical network programming formulation of the extended gateway concept in port hinterland container logistics. The model represents a novel extension of the inward interport model developed by Iannone and Thore (2010), as it simultaneously incorporates economic, environmental and social parameters into a single objective framework. A methodological overview on the relations between primal and dual models in linear programming is firstly provided. Based on the configuration of a hypothetical port hinterland network over which typical container distribution operations are performed, a detailed analytical formulation of the primal and dual programs of the interport model is then presented. Possible research developments aimed at applying and improving the model are finally introduced.