Sustainability and Social Justice

Optimizing Freight Transshipments: An Evaluation of East Coast Coal Export Options

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Many factors will determine the extent to which the U.S. will be a significant supplier of coal to world markets. Important among these factors is the ability of the domestic coal transport system to move coal from mines to export ports and the capability of these ports to efficiently transship the coal to export markets. This paper describes the use of a mixed-integer mathematical programming model, called the Coal Logistics System (COLS), to provide information for transportation infrastructure planning with regard to increasing U.S. coal exports. COLS is a comprehensive coal transportation model that includes the location and activity levels for coal handling technology. It is used in this study to evaluate potential patterns of export coal movements in the Eastern U.S. with respect to transportation costs, optimal location and activity levels for port coal handling facilities and related investment expenditures. © 1983.

Publication Title

Transportation Research Part A: General

Publication Date

1-1-1983

Volume

17

Issue

6

First Page

493

Last Page

504

ISSN

0191-2607

DOI

10.1016/0191-2607(83)90169-3

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