Table 1.

Parameters and variables.

Parameters
$N$	Number of inland freight stations
$T$	Length of observed period (number of weeks), $t\in \left\{\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,T\right\}$
$i$	No. of inland freight stations, $i=\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,N$
$\rho$	Adjustment coefficient for the operational cost at the container yard
$X_i\left(t\right)$	Empty container demand at inland freight station $i$, the stochastic variable about $t\in \left\{\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,T\right\}$
$X_i$	Empty container demand at inland freight station $i$, regardless of time interval
$Y\left(t\right)$	Random supply, the stochastic variable about $t\in \left\{\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,T\right\}$
$Y$	Random supply of empty containers, regardless of time interval
$C^h(\cdot )$	Function for calculating the storage operational cost at the container yard (RMB/TEU)
$C_i^f$	Transportation cost per TEU from container yard to inland freight station $i$ (RMB/TEU)
$C_i^r$	Rental fee per TEU at inland freight station $i$ (RMB/TEU)
Variables
$S$	The amount of steady supply obtained at the container yard in each interval
$\mathit{\beta }=\left({\beta }_i\right)$	The utilization rate of self-owned empty containers to the total supply at inland freight station $i$
${\mathit{Q}}^o\left(t\right)=\left(Q_i^o\left(t\right)\right)$	The quantity of self-owned containers provided by the liner company at inland freight station $i$ in interval $t$, where $t\in \left\{\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,T\right\}$
${\mathit{Q}}^r\left(t\right)=\left(Q_i^r\left(t\right)\right)$	The quantity of leased containers at inland freight station $i$ in interval $t$, where $t\in \left\{\mathrm{1,2},\cdots ,T\right\}$