Optimizing multiple equipment scheduling for U-shaped automated container terminals considering loading and unloading operations

U-shaped automated container terminals (ACTs) represent a strategic design in port infrastructure that facilitates simultaneous loading and unloading operations. This paper addresses the challenges of scheduling multiple types of equipment, such as dual trolley quay cranes (DTQCs), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), double cantilever rail cranes (DCRCs), and external trucks (ETs) in U-shaped ACTs. This paper proposes a mixed integer linear programming model for optimizing the multiple equipment scheduling, aiming to minimize container completion time and AGV waiting time simultaneously. This paper customizes a hybrid genetic-cuckoo optimization algorithm (HGCOA) with double-point crossover and Levy flight Cuckoo search strategies. Extensive numerical results show that the proposed HGCOA outperforms the benchmark genetic algorithms in terms of solution quality and computational time while significantly improving efficiency without substantial sacrifices in solution quality compared with the exact solution method. Overall, this study presents a promising solution for enhancing coordination and operation efficiency in U-shaped ACTs.