A Matheuristic with Fixed-Sequence Reoptimization for a Real-Life Inventory Routing Problem

AbstractThis paper proposes a matheuristic for solving a real-life inventory routing problem introduced in the ROADEF/EURO Challenge 2016. The method integrates a fixed-sequence mathematical program, two randomized greedy algorithms, and a column-generation-based heuristic. In particular, the paper discusses the performance of the fixed-sequence mathematical program, which considers a fixed sequence of customer visits and aims at (re)optimizing partial solutions by modifying arrival times and delivered or loaded quantities. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm for the fixed-sequence subproblem is efficient as a postoptimization process and is even able to improve the best solutions obtained during the challenge.