e-Freight co-modal transport solution for European ports
e-Freight, a part EU funded project, has announced the implementation of an innovative co-modal transport optimisation (CTO) solution that can plan and schedule freight movements through Europe’s complex multi-modal transport networks. The e-Freight CTO system will encourage the use of greener modes such as rail and barge for freight movements, while allowing freight operators to offer cheaper, more flexible and efficient services to their users. Julian Stephens, Technical Development Manager at MJC² said: “One of the EC’s most important objectives is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and congestion on roads through increased utilisation of alternative transport modes. The e-Freight CTO system will drive this by making it much cheaper and easier for freight operators to switch to greener modes.” In the e-Freight project MJC² has led the development of new techniques for optimising co-modal operations. MJC² is a world-leading developer of real-time logistics optimisation solutions for high profile transport and distribution operators, with clients such as TNT, B&Q and Pepsi. Multi-modal logistics planning represents a challenging and complex optimisation problem which cannot be solved by conventional software solutions. In technical terms, such problems are known as NP-hard, which means that effectively they cannot be solved in a realistic amount of time, even using the most powerful computers available. Therefore, for the e-Freight project it has been necessary to apply sophisticated algorithms which navigate through the myriad of possible solutions to find good, efficient and cost-effective schedules. MJC²'s tools have been used with great success in other fields but this is the first time that a co-modal operation of this type has been addressed. The e-Freight CTO solution will deliver many important benefits in addition to the environmental and efficiency benefits outlined above. Traffic congestion will be reduced around busy freight terminals and operators will have increased visibility of their business. Transport users will benefit from cheaper more flexible services, while port authorities will see increased capacity and throughput. The e-Freight CTO system is applicable to any major multi-modal freight operation and is expected to make massive reductions in Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions while increasing freight transport efficiency.
Paesi
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom