Heuristic algorithm for retrieving containers

•We propose heuristic algorithm which makes container retrieval efficiently.•We show the validity and efficiency of the algorithm by solving sample problems.•The proposed algorithm decreases great amount of solving time.•The proposed algorithm reduces the number of container movements.•The proposed algorithm reduces the crane's working time.

This study proposes a heuristic algorithm to achieve efficient container retrieval given a specified order, by minimizing the number of container movements and the working time of the crane. We evaluated our proposed algorithm by solving 70 sample problems. The results confirmed the validity and efficiency of the algorithm compared to methods used in previous research. Our algorithm succeeds in reducing the number of container movements and the working time of the crane. Furthermore, the heuristic algorithm is computationally efficient and greatly reduces the amount of time required to obtain a solution. Therefore, we expect our heuristic to be useful in the real-world industry where rapid decision-making is required.