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Topic outline

  • Project Summary, Objectives and Expected Impacts


    The project is focused on the following objectives:

    • Research, under the PI umbrella, into new business models that underpin intermodal transport, warehousing, ecommerce fulfilment,
    • Development of an experimental ICT proof of concept (PoC) Infrastructure Platform to support the simulation and testing of the PI concepts,
    • Development of representative PI solutions for each of the three Focus Areas for the corresponding Living Labs.

    Three Living Labs (Warehousing as a service, E- commerce fulfillment as a service, and Synchromodality as a service) will demonstrate realistic and compelling solutions through industry reference implementations at representative scale with the goal to deliver a key stepping stone to the EU’s Green agenda.

  • ALICE members as partners of ICONET

  • ICONET WORKSHOPS

    ICONET Workshops supported by ALICE

  • ICONET outputs

    NEW !!!!

    ALICE supported, ICONET workshops between 15 and 28 January 2021

    PI-Corridor, PI-Warehousing, PI-HUB and e-Commerce fulfillment

    For more information and the links to Registration please go to the end of this page. (Link)

    • A folder containing all public ICONET deliverables for download.

    • D1.1    PI-aligned digital and physical interconnectivity models and standards          

      The Foundations Framework of the Physical Internet is centered around interconnectivity, enabled through modularization and the standardization of interfaces and protocols. The deliverable details the three interconnectivity dimensions: (1) Physical, (2) Digital and (3) Universal upon which a Physical Internet system is built. There is an extended literature survey of standards and related projects to the Physical Internet. The research aligns to ALICE’s vision for a transport system supporting sustainable and efficient logistics towards the Physical Internet motivated by the SENSE project.

      For Physical Interconnectivity, the state-of-the art analysis and the review of existing models and standards focus on current and emerging trends in PI Containers (all packaging levels) and on the PI hubs (bundling, automation, multimodal environment).

      The Digital Interconnectivity encompasses the concepts of open systems, encapsulation, standard smart interfaces and standard collaborative protocols. It ensures that physical entities, constituents and factors can seamlessly exchange meaningful information across the PI among others tracking and monitoring of objects, message passing among virtual agents and human actors and visibility about the state of demand, offer and flow.

      Universal interconnectivity is the key to making the Physical Internet open, global, efficient and sustainable system. Universal interconnectivity in the Physical Internet involves the exploitation of encapsulation, interfaces and protocols including Internet of Things (IoT) automation.

      PI-aligned digital and physical interconnectivity

    • Main author is: Marc Verelst, January 2020.

      This document outlines the state of the art on business models for horizontal collaboration and networked collaborative logistics communities and also describe the necessary actions and activities that have to be undertaken in order to strengthen the basis for the implementation of the Physical Internet. It addresses:

      • Logistics Collaboration Models Initiated by Shippers
        • Process Steps for Subletting of Warehouse Space (P&G - Kellogg´s Example and Stock Bocking, Stock Spots and FLEXE Start Ups)
        • Horizontal Collaboration - Roundtrips (Examples: CO3 project, CHEP)
        • Horizontal Collaboration - Vehicle Fill (Examples: P&G - Tupperware)

      • Logistics Collaboration Models Initiated by Logistics Service Providers
        • Collaborative Logistics Platforms (Examples:ES3, 2XL/ECS, HECORE, NEXTRUST Biscuit Platform)
        • Parcel Delivery Networks (DHL, FEDEX, UPS, GEFCO)
        • Collaborative Corridor Management (ECT/EGS, Essers)

      • Logistics Collaboration Models Initiated by the Public Sector (ports, airport, inland hubs)

      Networked Collaborative Communities "Open logistics networks consisting of competing and non-competing stakeholders through which goods are transported and stored in the most efficient way based on open logistics standards and governance and market based pricing mechanisms’"
  • Why is this Project Relevant for ALICE & the Physical Internet?

    Networked architecture for interconnected logistics hubs that combine with IoT capabilities and aiming towards commercial exploitation of results. PI models for the Physical Internet that optimise on multiple axes such as for throughput, speed, green/environment, utilisation, efficiency, multi-modality. Simulation, network optimisation, IoT semantics, blockchain, optimisation engine, controller management and APIs and External interfaces.