Flexible, multi-mOdal and Robust FREIGHt Transport

Project Information

FOR-FREIGHT

Grant agreement ID: 101069731

DOI

10.3030/101069731

Project closed

EC signature date 9 June 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 8 935 495,00

EU contribution

€ 7 151 677,50

Coordinated by

ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FOR-FREIGHT (Flexible, multi-mOdal and Robust FREIGHt Transport)

Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EU-funded FOR-FREIGHT project aims to help realize logistics green transition by maximizing the utilization of multimodal freight transport capacity and reducing the average cost and footprint of freight transport. This will be achieved through the development of a cutting-edge, standards-based community platform (FOR-FREIGHT platform) that integrates with existing freight transport and logistics (T&L) systems across selected supply chains.

Based on specific sector and market needs, the FOR-FREIGHT platform identifies concurrent gaps in existing intermodal operational interfaces and defines generalized solving processes to optimally solve them using a comprehensive technology-driven solvers library. Each solving process consists of a sophisticated, unique pipeline of solvers (e.g. services, digital twins, IoTs, etc.), systems already operational in the supply chain and external data sources. This enables accurate and timely exchange of crucial information along supply chains leading to effective and sustainable management of goods and freight flows in airports, ports, inland terminals and various logistics nodes.

The project engages world-leading T&L stakeholders specializing in different modes of transportation and brings them together with leading SW and technology developers, research organizations and innovative SMEs. This bottom-up collaboration drives the deployment of three beyond state-of-the-art (SotA) multimodal trial facilities in Spain, Greece and Romania to enable real life trials in operational environments covering heterogeneous multimodal scenarios, namely, seaport to logistics hub and last mile delivery, seaport to airport (airfreight) and river-port to rail cargo:
• Spain – Valencia Trial Site (Seaport to last mile): Blockchain & Digital Twins to support decision making in multimodal transport combined with Subway-Based Network for sustainable last mile distribution.
• Greece – Athens Trial Site (Airport to Seaport): End-to-end optimization of transport flows between the Athens airport and the Piraeus Seaport with DSS and real-time monitoring & control capabilities.
• Romania – Danube Trial Site (River port to Rail): Fluent information on transport flow allowing prior planning and resource optimization between the river port and the warehouse hub via railway network.

FOR-FREIGHT’s continuous commitment to operational up-scaling is further enhanced by setting up a “common ground” for T&L communication and standardization by expanding TIC4.0’s data model to hinterland actors (warehouse, dry port, airport, land transport operators).

The project's unique value propositions are designed to transform the freight transport landscape, offering a range of benefits for industry players and society alike. This comprehensive approach aims to enable more effective and sustainable management of goods and freight flows across various transportation hubs, such as airports, ports, inland terminals, and different logistics nodes. The project considers the requirements and interests of all stakeholders, ensuring a holistic perspective that integrates economic, environmental, and social aspects.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Motivated by the project goals to maximize multimodal freight transport capacity and reduce the average cost and footprint of freight transport, during the 1st reporting period the consortium worked towards:
The design and development of the FOR-FREIGHT platform (Objective 1).
- MA1: The integrated FOR-FREIGHT Platform.
- MA2: Structured mapping of generalized intermodal problems solving processes.
Organizing 3 SotA T&L experimentation facilities in Spain, Greece and Italy combining technology, infrastructure and equipment from different stakeholders and covering multiple transport modes; delivering mature solvers (TRL≥7), integrated under the common FOR-FREIGHT platform (Objective 2).
- MA1: Three SotA up and running trial sites.
- MA2: 17 solvers for 6 solving processes integrated to the FOR-FREIGHT Platform.
Testing and validating the proposed methodology and operational framework for trial operations across the trial sites (Objective 3).
- MA1: Early tests have been performed across the trial sites.
Assessing and analysing market and sector dynamics to develop disruptive solutions with increased scale-up potential and measurable socio-economic and environmental benefit (Objective 4).
- MA1: In-depth market analysis and commercialization plan.
- MA2: Innovation Registry Tool to assess IPR potential.
- MA3: Sustainability impact co-analysis based on workshops with the involved stakeholders.
Ensuring cooperation and promoting standardization (Objective 5).
- MA1: Expanding TIC4.0’s data model beyond port operations as the basis for a data translator functionality (semantics interoperability).
- MA2: T&L ecosystem engagement through active cooperation with relevant EU-funded project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The FOR-FREIGHT project fulfils its objectives by delivering key, beyond SotA innovations that optimize multimodal T&L operations and add value to existing supply chain processes without disrupting the physical operations. The achieved results cover several areas: 1. Business, operations and governance:
- Structured mapping of generalized intermodal problems solving processes.
- Use of the existing Subway Network as sustainable alternative for last mile distribution (KI6).
- Definition of an environmental assessment framework (KI3) for port activities.
- Expansion of the TIC4.0 data model for use as a common glossary in multimodal logistics operations.
2. Digital infrastructure, automation & technology:
- The FOR-FREIGHT Platform operates on top of the existing (inter-) organizational legacy systems to optimize supply chain operations.
- E2E multimodal /multi-stakeholder delivery (KI1) for real-time tracking across the supply chain.
- Decision support for inter-disciplinary / multi-domain resource utilization optimization (KI2) combining information from several.
- Digital Twins for real time data exchange (KI4) to create accurate simulations in multimodal transport.
- Blockchain for secure data exchange to support decision making in multimodal transport (KI4)
- Smart port open data portal (KI4) encompassing services and IoT equipment.
3. Innovation management and scale-up:
- Innovation Readiness Registry to analyze the disruptive potential of the platform and solvers and their potential for patent filing.
- Patent ideas covering IoT devices handling and system connectivity.

Overall concept of the FOR-FREIGHT Project

FOR-FREIGHT Platform Architecture