Enhancing traffic flow and operations at European ports
To increase the available space affected by intensified maritime traffic flow, dry ports are being established nearby and directly connected via rail or road networks. However, overall port management becomes more complex since the two terminals have to be managed as if they are one. The EU-funded SAIL (ICT system addressed to integrated logistic management and decision support for intermodal port and dry port facilities) project set out to provide a solution to this problem. The main aim was to develop an online strategic decision-support tool for optimal management of intermodal transport facilities at European ports. Project partners studied and developed advanced decision-support system (DSS) concepts and components as well as associated methodologies and algorithms. This led to the development of a DSS that supports decision makers in managing traffic flow between the dry port and the maritime port. It interprets large amounts of data resulting from this intermodal transport and proposes the best possible solutions. The team also developed a discrete event simulation, a core component of the DSS. It is designed to assess the various solutions and realistic scenarios supplied by the DSS. All algorithms and tools were tested for accuracy, reliability and security. Components were then integrated into a state-of-the-art information and communications technology (ICT) platform. The feasibility of the integrated system was successfully tested. Four published journal and 15 scientific papers were presented at international scientific conferences. SAIL introduced tools that provide logistics operators with complete and reliable support to gather data and manage business operations in maritime port and dry port areas.
Keywords
Ports, intermodal transport, maritime traffic, port management, dry port
