There are basically two types of container terminal in terms of operation: dedicated terminal and multi-user terminal. Theoretically, given a set of berths, all berths should be used as a multi-user terminal for the maximum productivity as being evaluated with the total service time. However, as berth schedule cannot be made optimally, we don't know if the multi-user terminal covering all the given berths is the best alternative. We examine how mixed dedicated and multi-user terminal usage is effective.

Professor Imai graduated from Kobe University of Mercantile Marine (now, Faculty of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, as Kobe University of Mercantile Marine was merged with Kobe University in 2003). After 5 year experience in business field as a system engineer, he became a research associate for Kobe University of Mercantile Marine in 1982. He was awarded PhD in Civil Engineering from Kyoto Univeristy in 1989. From 1990-91, he stayed at Ohio State University as a visiting researcher. For the next 10 years, he went to Ohio State University several times for VRP study through Fulbright researcher exchange program and other scholarships. He was promoted to professor at Kobe University of Mercantile Marine in 1998. From 2002-2003, he was also a professor at World Maritime University in Sweden. He became professor at Faculty of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, as Kobe University of Mercantile Marine was merged with Kobe University.