Path Selection of Multimodal Transport for Coal Based on Economic and Environmental Benefits

This study investigates the coal multimodal transportation route selection problem by integrating economic and environmental benefits, taking the current coal transportation landscape in China as its research context. Focusing on the transportation network from Shanxi region to Shanghai as a case study, we establish a multi-objective optimization model that comprehensively considers transportation costs, carbon emission costs, and transit time. The NSGA-II algorithm is employed to solve this optimization problem. The results demonstrate that rail-water intermodal transport emerges as an effective solution for optimizing transportation structures. Case analysis reveals that optimal route selections exhibit cost sensitivity, adapting to fluctuations in railway and waterway freight rates. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis indicates that carbon tax rate variations exert limited impact on total transportation costs, while conventional transportation costs maintain their dominant influence. This research provides decision support for sustainable transportation planning in coal logistics systems.