Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes

China Rail Express (CRE) is the international container train line that runs between China and Europe. Since the implementation of China’s Belt and Road initiative, CRE has developed rapidly. As most CRE trains travel directly from source to destination without load consolidation, CRE faces issues s...

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Main Authors: Laijun Zhao, Zhaolin Cheng, Huiyong Li, Qingmi Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Journal of Advanced Transportation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9536273
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author Laijun Zhao
Zhaolin Cheng
Huiyong Li
Qingmi Hu
author_facet Laijun Zhao
Zhaolin Cheng
Huiyong Li
Qingmi Hu
author_sort Laijun Zhao
collection DOAJ
description China Rail Express (CRE) is the international container train line that runs between China and Europe. Since the implementation of China’s Belt and Road initiative, CRE has developed rapidly. As most CRE trains travel directly from source to destination without load consolidation, CRE faces issues such as an insufficient cargo supply, a low load factor, and a low profit margin. To address these problems, we analyzed the selection of potential consolidation centers and the optimization of consolidation routes to these centers from the perspective of complex network evolution. First, we constructed rules for generation and evolution of the complex network. Next, we generated logistics connection topology networks for CRE from 2013 to 2017 using those rules. We then optimized the consolidation routes based on the network structures formed from those rules. Chongqing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Shenyang, Lanzhou, Urumqi, and Tianjin were selected as potential consolidation centers. We conclude with a sensitivity analyses and a discussion of management implications for CRE.
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issn 0197-6729
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language English
publishDate 2019-01-01
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series Journal of Advanced Transportation
spelling doaj-art-c15684e2115b46c9a1d5ff3b02ab7ba22025-08-20T03:23:28ZengWileyJournal of Advanced Transportation0197-67292042-31952019-01-01201910.1155/2019/95362739536273Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation RoutesLaijun Zhao0Zhaolin Cheng1Huiyong Li2Qingmi Hu3Sino-US Global Logistics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaSino-US Global Logistics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaSino-US Global Logistics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaAntai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaChina Rail Express (CRE) is the international container train line that runs between China and Europe. Since the implementation of China’s Belt and Road initiative, CRE has developed rapidly. As most CRE trains travel directly from source to destination without load consolidation, CRE faces issues such as an insufficient cargo supply, a low load factor, and a low profit margin. To address these problems, we analyzed the selection of potential consolidation centers and the optimization of consolidation routes to these centers from the perspective of complex network evolution. First, we constructed rules for generation and evolution of the complex network. Next, we generated logistics connection topology networks for CRE from 2013 to 2017 using those rules. We then optimized the consolidation routes based on the network structures formed from those rules. Chongqing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Shenyang, Lanzhou, Urumqi, and Tianjin were selected as potential consolidation centers. We conclude with a sensitivity analyses and a discussion of management implications for CRE.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9536273
spellingShingle Laijun Zhao
Zhaolin Cheng
Huiyong Li
Qingmi Hu
Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
Journal of Advanced Transportation
title Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
title_full Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
title_fullStr Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
title_full_unstemmed Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
title_short Evolution of the China Railway Express Consolidation Network and Optimization of Consolidation Routes
title_sort evolution of the china railway express consolidation network and optimization of consolidation routes
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9536273
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AT huiyongli evolutionofthechinarailwayexpressconsolidationnetworkandoptimizationofconsolidationroutes
AT qingmihu evolutionofthechinarailwayexpressconsolidationnetworkandoptimizationofconsolidationroutes