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Logistics Nodes

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With this research project we combine forces with three universities (VUB, KU Leuven and UHasselt) that have expertise in different aspects of synchromodal transport. The objective is to develop a digital twin to further enhance the synchromodal concept and make synchromodal transport a reality in Flanders to boost the competitiveness and sustainability of its logistics sector.

To date the synchromodal concept remains rather theoretical and it is not well measurable due to the lack of an appropriate platform to provide reliable assessments in a highly dynamic and real- time environment. Such a platform would be able to mimic the current real system, but also simulate how it could evolve. The objective of this project is to develop such a platform in order to test dynamic planning algorithms and communication technologies which are also the main enablers for implementing synchromodal transport.

The platform will operate like a digital twin that mimics the physical reality on a digital platform. It will address questions such as how much to transport, when and by using which transport mode? How can we integrate replenishment decisions and inventory cost calculation within the transport planning process? How can collaboration between shippers and/or logistics service providers in an open logistics network enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of supply chains?

The project will focus on organizational and technical enablers for seamless synchromodal transport services in Flanders. Given the real-time dynamics and flexible nature of synchromodal transport, different transport modalities and actors need to work together and adapt according to unexpected events and contextual information that affect transport processes. These events and contextual information are related to negative as well as positive perturbations that shape freight movement and transport mode selection, such as newly incoming orders, transport delays, cancellations, collaborative bundling opportunities, accidents, water levels, strikes and many more.

Crucial elements in this regard are situational awareness of the current system state and projections of how the system will evolve once different actors take different actions. We will consider individual company objectives at micro level and network objectives at macro level.

Our platform will be represented by a digital twin in order to provide a testbed for synchromodal opportunities within a risk-free environment. A digital twin is a virtual environment that mirrors the real physical system (a physical twin) and its processes by updating its virtual real-time status from various sources of information regarding weather forecasts, congestion levels, positions of assets (barges, trains, trucks) and their ongoing working conditions. By means of the digital twin, effects of sensor technology and information exchange can be studied in combination with physical flows. Such a risk free environment allows for analysis and evaluation of triggering events (new orders, disruptions, delays...) which induce physical movements, and vice-versa, physical movements may trigger information flows once certain assets arrive at a specific location or enter a geo-fence.

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Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

The EU maritime transport constitutes a crucial link in the global logistic chains and plays a leading role in international freight transport. Serving 40% of the EU’s internal trade and 75% of its external trade, maritime transport is an essential element in supporting Europe in maintaining its Number 1 position in global trade. Therefore, as a key node of the EU’s TEN-T ports have the ultimate objective to fully integrate maritime transport into the global logistics chain.
Within this framework, DocksTheFuture aims at defining the vision for the ports of the future in 2030, covering all specific issues that could define this concept including among others, dredging, emission reduction, energy transition, electrification, smart grids, port-city interface and the use of renewable energy management.
The proposal already addressed a preliminary research on the Port of Future concept, the definition of several Port of the Future topics to be addressed and their related targets in 2030 and a preliminary list of projects that could be potentially clustered together with the RIA retained proposals.
Moving from this point, DockTheFuture will:
- refine and tune the Port of Future concepts, the Port of the Future topics and their related targets in 2030 and the list of projects to be clustered together with the RIA retained proposals,
- identify appropriate KPIs and relevant monitoring and evaluation of results of actions
- leading to the a Port of the Future Road Map for 2030 that will include a number of exploitation elements such as tools for evaluation and transferability of Port of the Future solutions, R&D and policy recommendations, training packages and the creation of a Port of the Future Network of Excellence
All of these elements will be supported by a comprehensive Dissemination and Communication plan targeting all ports in Europe and other relevant stakeholders, including Mediterranean and other Neighbouring Partner Countries.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

iCargo IP aims at advancing and extending the use of ICT to support new logistics services that: (i) synchronize vehicle movements and logistics operations across various modes and actors to lower CO2 emissions, (ii) adapt to changing conditions through dynamic planning methods involving intelligent cargo, vehicle and infrastructure systems and (iii) combine services, resources and information from different stakeholders, taking part in an open freight management ecosystem. To achieve the above targets, iCargo will design and implement a decentralized ICT infrastructure that allows real world objects, new planning services including CO2 calculation capabilities and existing systems to co-exist and efficiently co-operate at an affordable cost for logistics stakeholders. iCargo infrastructure will include Intelligent Cargo items to facilitate automated reactive decision-making and to integrate information obtained from on-going execution (all modes) into planning processes to optimize environmental performances, including real-time information about traffic and transport infrastructure conditions. iCargo involves representatives of the main stakeholders in three main areas of activity: (i) research and technological development, involving leading ICT companies and institutes to integrate in iCargo the necessary technology components, including results from key related EU projects, and to develop innovative approaches and business models for co-modal transport environmental optimization and dynamic planning; (ii) implementation, demonstration and validation of three extensive pilots in end-to-end multi-actor intermodal chains, involving users from logistics companies, shippers and public authorities; (iii) extensive dissemination of research results, demonstration and pilot cases validation activities, aimed at transferring iCargo results to the international transport logistics community and supporting take-up and extensive exploitation immediately after the project.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

ICONET will significantly extend state of the art research and development around the Physical Internet concept in pursuit of a new networked architecture for interconnected logistics hubs that combine with IoT capabilities and aiming towards commercial exploitation of results. ICONET strives to achieve the end commercial goal of allowing shipments to be routed towards final destinations automatically, by using collaborative decisions inspired by the information centric networking paradigm, and optimizing efficiency and customer service levels across the whole network. According to this vision, cargo regarded as smart physical packets will flow between hubs based on ‘content’ of the cargo influencing key commercial imperatives such as cost, optimisation, routing, efficiency and advancing EU's Green agenda. Consequently, the consortium are discernibly aimed at three (3) avenues of commercialisation and exploitation from the ICONET innovation, specifically targeted in the areas of

(a) Warehousing as a service

(b) E-commerce fulfillment as a service, and

(c) Synchromodality as a service.

PI based logistic configurations will be simulated, prototyped and validated in the project . Modelling and analysis techniques will be combined with serious game type simulation, physical and digital prototyping, using living lab (LL) requirements scenarios and data. With analyses and simulations, optimal topologies and distribution policies for PI will be determined. The project implementation will be based on a succession of phases of modelling and design/prototyping, learning and experimentation and feedback and interaction with the wider business community, including the ALICE logistics platform as well as members of the partner Associations ESC, UIRR and ELUPEG. Through its Living Labs, the project will address under the PI paradigm both Supply Network Collaboration and Supply Network Coordination.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

The LessThanWagonLoad project has the objective to 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. This objective will be realised by developing: (i) a new rail transport solutions for single pallets (we call this LWL ‘less than wagon load’ in analogy with existing LTL ‘less than truck load’ transport) and (ii) new added value rail freight services for the industry within the Antwerp chemical cluster. These potential new services consist of parking, repair, picking and cleaning for chemical wagons, rail connected cross docking of pallets and improved rail connections by setting up mixed trains with conventional and maritime container volumes.

The project primarily focuses on Antwerp and the chemical industry. But the new concepts can also be leveraged to other logistical hubs with other industries. This will be demonstrated at a second logistical hub Nola, in the south of Italy. This broad implementation potential increases the impact on European society.

Realising the LessThanWagonLoad project will contribute in a substantial way in realizing the EC’s ambition to shift 30% of road freight over 300km to low-emission modes by 2030. The potential benefits of the project for European society are very important and diverse: (i) environmental improvements (less GHG emissions), (ii) reduced costs of rail freight, (iii) increased inter-modality and higher resilience of the transport system, (iv) local economic growth and employment, (v) less congestion and traffic casualties and (vi) less risk on social dumping.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

The EU faces the challenge to maintain and increase its economic growth and cope with the problem of freight transport efficiency in Europe. Integration of transport volumes and modes, better use of capacity, flexibility, resource efficiency and cooperation between all actors along the logistic chain are required.

Aligned with the European policies and the ALICE roadmap, LOGISTAR objective is to allow effective planning and optimizing of transport operations in the supply chain by taking advantage of horizontal collaboration, relying on the increasingly real-time data gathered from the interconnected environment. For this, a real-time decision making tool and a real-time visualization tool of freight transport will be developed, with the purpose of delivering information and services to the various agents involved in the logistic supply chain, i.e. freight transport operators, their clients, industries and other stakeholders such as warehouse or infrastructure managers.

LOGISTAR will address several advances beyond the State of the Art in the interdisciplinary field of the smart algorithms for data processing: Artificial Intelligence focussed onr prediction, parallel hybrid metaheuristics for optimization, automated negotiation techniques, and constraint satisfaction problem solving techniques. The resulting platform will outperform other market products and services such as Freight Exchange Systems, Collaborative Platforms, Transport Control Towers or Routing Systems.

LOGISTARS involves RTD organisations (DEUSTO, UCC, CSIC), technology developers (DNET, SWC), consultancy firms (MDST, PRESTON), ICT services developers (SAG, DBH, GENEGIS) and stakeholders from different stages of the supply chain (AHLERS, ZAILOG, NESTLÉ, PLADIS, CODOGNOTTO).

The duration of the project is estimated to be 36 months and has an approximate budget of 5 million euros.

For further information you can vistit the project website:  https://logistar-project.eu

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

PLANET addresses the challenges of assessing the impact of emerging global trade corridors on the TEN-T network and ensuring effective integration of the European to the Global Network by focusing in two key R&D pillars:

  • A Geo-economics approach, modelling and specifying the dynamics of new trade routes and its impacts on logistics infrastructure & operations, with specific reference to TEN-T, including peripheral regions and landlocked developing countries;
  • An EU-Global network enablement through disruptive concepts and technologies (IoT, Blockchain and Physical Internet, 5G, 3D printing, autonomous vehicles /automation, hyperloop) which can shape its future and address its shortcomings, aligned to the DTLF concept of a federated network of T&L platforms.
PLANET goes beyond strategic transport studies, and ICT for transport research, by rigorously modelling, analysing, demonstrating & assessing their interactions and dynamics thus, providing a more realistic view of the emerging T&L environment. The project employs 3 EU-global real-world corridor Living Labs including sea and rail for intercontinental connection and provides the experimentation environment for designing and exploiting future PI-oriented Integrated Green EU-Global T&L Networks [EGTN]. To facilitate this process, PLANET delivers a Symbiotic Digital Clone for EGTNs, as an open collaborative planning tool for TEN-T Corridor participants, infrastructure planners, and industry/technology strategists.

PLANET also delivers an Active Blueprint and Road Map, providing guidance and building public & private actor capacity towards the realisation of EGTNs, and facilitating the development of disadvantaged regions. The project engages major T&L stakeholders, contributing to both strategy and technology and (importantly) has the industry weight and influence to create industry momentum in Federated Logistics and TEN-T’s integration into the Global Network.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

Ports are a great example of heterogeneous information hubs. Multiple stakeholders operate inside and outside them with different motivations and businesses. Although document and data interchange is already in place through Port Community Systems (PCS), the interchange is limited to official documentation and services of the Port Authority, such as custom declarations, import/export of cargo, and other formal documents. However, an effective integration of operational data is far from optimal in most ports, and especially so in medium or small ports, where budget is limited and IT services usually is outsourced.

In contrast, the available operational data (resources tracking, container status, vessel operations, surface or berth available, air/water quality measurements,...) is constantly increasing and technology is getting inexpensive and widely available. However, the application of such systems is still single-entity centric, since the information is not shared, keeping the real potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 hidden. The same holds for geographic areas surrounding ports, where Smart Cities integrate various data systems and provide valuable services to citizens and authorities.

PIXEL will enable a two-way collaboration of ports, multimodal transport agents and cities for optimal use of internal and external resources, sustainable economic growth and environmental impact mitigation, towards the Ports of the Future. PIXEL will leverage technological enablers to voluntary exchange data among ports and stakeholders, thus ensuring a measurable benefit in this process. The main outcome of this technology will be efficient use of resources in ports, sustainable development and green growth of ports and surrounding cities/regions.

Built on top of the state-of-the art interoperability technologies, PIXEL will centralise data from the different information silos where internal and external stakeholders store their operational information.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

The Port of the Future will be able to enhance sustainable development and to manage the resources to be invested and their employment for a competitive advantage. Therefore, the port of the future must be oriented to port community and have an operative strategic capability to work, in line with European purposes, on the following:
- Smart, through ICT solutions, because it is important to improvement exchange of information flows between port and port community;
- Interconnected with the use of a combination of different modes of transport and the integration of different technologies, because it is important to achieve better monitoring and controlling of the freight flows;
- Green through the adoption of green technologies because it is important to reduce the environmental impact of port operations saving the resources.

All in all, sustainable development is the present and future for ports that want to lead the industry supported by three cornerstones: Operational Excellence, Insightful Collaboration with partners through the supply chain, and top notch Safety, Health and Environmental practices.

PortForward proposes a holistic approach that will lead to a smarter, greener and more sustainable port ecosystem and which will include the following features:

- The introduction of an Internet of Things (IoT) concept for port assets (infrastructure, vehicles, cargo, people):
- The socio-economic analysis of the port interface with its surrounding area and the port-city, as well as the rest of the logistics value chain.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

The objective of ProKapa is to support logistic service providers with suitable methods and enable them to react flexibly and adaptably to markets becoming more and more dynamic. They are to be enabled to adjust to challenges and innovations of the “Physical Internet“. Expected results of ProKapa are suitable methods and tools for the preliminary planning of transportation needs. Results are a stronger interconnection between data sources and recommendations of actions concerning the adjustment of capacity, the allocation of resources and pricing.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

Based on existing supply chains a smart logistics system according to the visions of the Physical Internet will be designed and modelled for the economic regions Styria and Upper Austria.

The research focuses on intelligent networking of senders, carriers and receivers using innovative web technologies (logistics 4.0) as well as a future-oriented, cooperative business model (asset sharing in coopetition). This shall lead to resource efficiency, measurable traffic reduction and increased competitiveness of the region.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner

SELIS is aimed at delivering a ‘platform for pan-European logistics applications’ by:
- Embracing a wide spectrum of logistics perspectives and creating a unifying operational and strategic business innovation agenda for pan European Green Logistics.
- Establishing an exceptionally strong consortium of logistics stakeholders and ICT providers, that can leverage EU IP from over 40 projects so as to create proof of concept Common Communication and navigation platforms for pan-European logistics applications in month 18 deployed in 8 living labs (LLs) representing the principal logistics communities..
- Establishing a research and innovation environment using the LLs to provide data than can be used for discovery of new insights that will enable continuous value creation supporting the large scale adoption of SELIS.

The proposed Shared European Logistics Intelligent Information Space, SELIS, is a network of logistic communities’ specific shared intelligent information spaces termed SELIS Community Nodes (SCN). SCNs are constructed by individual logistics communities to facilitate the next generation of collaborative, responsive and agile green transportation chains. SCNs link with their participants’ existing systems through a secure infrastructure and provide shared information and tools for data acquisition and use, according to a 'cooperation agreement'. Connected nodes, provide a distributed common communication and navigation platform for Pan European logistics applications. Each Node decides what information wishes to publish and what information wants to subscribe to.

The SELIS Community Node (SCN) concept represents the evolution of a longline of research in this area. The fundamental principle is that it provides a ‘lightweight ICT structure’ to enable information sharing for collaborative sustainable logistics for all at strategic and operational levels.

Category: Projects
Skill Level: Beginner
Skill Level: Beginner

In this section you will find Reference Documents on the Physical Internet

Skill Level: Beginner

This section contains materials produced at MINES ParisTech in collaboration with Hong-Kong University and with the support of the Physical Internet Chaire and its partners. 

Skill Level: Beginner

The ambition of this Roadmap is the achievement of EU wide co-modal transport services within a well synchronized, smart and seamless network, supported by corridors and hubs, providing optimal support to supply chains. It involves a step change from the current system, towards the ultimate vision of the Physical Internet, by synchronizing intermodal services between modes and with shippers, (referred to as Synchromodality), aligning equipment and services on corridors and hubs and integrating these into networks.

So far, network integration has been focused on interconnectivity and interoperability of transport processes and equipment. Integration has been achieved only partially at the TEN-T core network level, without alignment of hubs and corridors specifically for freight transport. There is a poor match between requirements of door-to-door freight services within Europe and the supporting pan-European infrastructure. In addition, important dynamic qualities of the transport system such as flexibility, resilience and responsiveness are still underdeveloped. Thirdly, integration has not been achieved in the vertical sense, aligning transport services with supply chain requirements of manufacturers, distributors and the wholesale sector. Freight services are, therefore, insufficiently customer-oriented to serve increasingly diverse client’s needs.

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Skill Level: Beginner