ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book introduces a number of proposed container automation concepts. It discusses the related decision-making problems that need to be explored by researchers. The book deals with a new approach of moving containers based on a magnetic levitation technology. Economic restructuring and globalization have vastly increased the volume of commodity flows by all transport modes. Increased freight flows have had significant impact on metropolitan areas. The term intelligent freight transportation represents an area where the use of advanced technologies and intelligent decision making can be integrated in order to come up with solutions that make better use of the existing infrastructure or introduce new transport ways in an effort to improve capacity and efficiency under environmental, economic, and other constraints. The labor unions are viewed by many as the main obstacle to the use of advanced technologies and automation at ports.
