ELISA: Energy-effective Logistics and Infrastructure Systems Assessment for Cargo Ports
A paradigm shift is occurring in how cargo ports approach their role within the transport sector and society. To ensure a system that is optimized with respect to its overall energy usage, the ‘physical roads’- and ‘digital operating system’- infrastructures of ports must be further connected. Reduced terminal down-time, improved maintenance planning and flexibility will give large energy reductions: faster cargo handling, reduced ship-in-port times, more sustainable material use and enhanced collaboration between transportation modes and port terminals.
The project focuses on the case of the Stockholm Norvik Port, a new Swedish freight port to start its operations in 2020.
The project investigates the most promising smart roads and connects these with the supply chain infrastructure via a ‘virtual twin’ of the port. Systemic cargo port energy optimization will be done via user case scenarios with multiple stakeholders and a detailed energy optimization road map will be formed.
Aims
• Develop a holistic approach that enables:
- doubling the lifetime of port infrastructures, as damage is minimized through strategic use of surfaces
- reduction of the ship/truck/train-in-port time by 20%, as the port surfaces become more flexible in its functionalities
- doubling the synchromodal opportunities in Sweden involving seaports, as maintenance forecasting is significantly improved.
• Provide a systemic way forward for freight transportation systems on how enhanced digitization, automation and sustainability of individual components and processes can lead to enhanced energy efficiency by 2030.
Team
The project team consists of three main entities: the research development groups, led by two different groups at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the operational reference group, based on important stakeholders at the Stockholm Norvik Port and the stakeholder reference groups, utilized in the energy scenario and road-map developments.
The project involves many aspects: technical developments to enable the added functionalities of the smart pavements in a sustainable way, handling of large quantities of data from various sources, building a virtual platform that enables complex interactions between the infrastructure and the supply chain and taking into account the interests of multiple actors involved in the port’s operations. As such, the project team has a multi-disciplinary composition.
