Market evolution and globalization are requiring continuous improvements in shipping systems and distribution logistics. Furthermore the evolution of Web technologies and e-commerce has created a need to develop supply chains to support businesses and services in entirely new domains.
Supply chains are a part of a complex architecture that characterizes company logistics.
An important feature of problems associated with this area is that there is typically a large capital investment in the system being studied. The capability to estimate reliability, robustness and quality of service of such systems is therefore especially important. In addition, the need to ensure near-optimal operation is critical for survival in a highly competitive environment. Many operational facets need to be simultaneously supported and seam-lessly integrated. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight recent developments in the application of modeling and simulation methodologies in dealing with the challenges of supply chain design and management.