A Simple Meta-heuristic Approach for the Multiple Container Loading Problem

The multiple container loading problem means that a set of boxes should be placed into one or more containers so that the required container space is minimized. In this paper this problem is solved by a simple meta-heuristic approach using a greedy algorithm, which is based on first-fit concept. This algorithm determines arrangement of each box according to a sequence of boxes. The sequence is altered by using a simple meta-heuristics, such as local search and simulated annealing. The practical constraints like load stability is taken into account. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by comparing the results obtained several other approaches for the multiple container loading problem.