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Section outline

  • Why is this Project Relevant for ALICE & the Physical Internet?

    Develop a smart specialized logistics cluster for the chemical industry in the Port of Antwerp in order to shift transport volumes from road to rail freight. Launching a rail transport solution for ‘less than wagon load’. New added value rail freight services for the chemical industry.

    • LOGISTICS NETWORKS

      The technology developed in this project provides a real-time monitoring system for any type of train movements, regardless of the different signalling systems in service. This fact represents an important step in improving the management and planning of supply chains, especially those that include different modes. In short, it allows the design of optimized synchromodal transport chains, with a high level of integration between the different modes used and the agents involved in them0 - Any improvement in the management of railway services and its integration with the other modes means an increase in its efficiency, and therefore, renders it more attractive to potential users. In this context, it boosts the use of this mode and its participation in freight transport.

      Any improvement in the management of railway services and its integration with the other modes means an increase in its efficiency, and therefore, renders it more attractive to potential users. In this context, it boosts the use of this mode and its participation in freight transport. (Generation 0)

      The development of this real-time traceability system will allow the definition and establishment of communication protocols between the different railway networks involved, as well as the participating agents, simplifying the current systems, and increasing their effectiveness.

      Simultaneously, this communication improvements can result in better integration between the different modes (better coordination of modal exchange operations), which lead the way to a higher degree of synchromodality. (Generation 1)

      After implementing specific communication protocols (including the rules for data sharing between different agents in a trusty and security framework), a digital shipment system could be developed based on the information provided and with the aim of dumbing services operation and management down. Hence, a computer module could be implemented to plan and manage different transport and logistics activities (e.g. load assignment to specifics services and schedules). The result of all these activities would give rise to a definition of network operational protocols in the different nodes. (Generation 2)

      The evolution of the system implemented in the previous phase would include the development of predictive models. In this context, the treatment of available information, coming from different scenarios (incidents, peak & low capacity periods, etc.) by using technologies such as Big Data and genetic algorithms, would allow optimizing the network operation and services. This way some contingency protocols could be developed and implemented. (Generation 3)

      A step further, by using artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies, the implemented system would allow the autonomous operation design (synchromodal chain, dispatches, etc.) and the establishment and automatic update of performance protocols in a borderless scenario. (Generation 4).