Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AEGIS (Advanced efficient and green intermodal systems)
Período documentado: 2020-06-01 hasta 2021-11-30
The central objective of AEGIS is to develop a new waterborne transport system for Europe that leverages the benefits of ships and barges while overcoming the conventional problems like dependence on large terminals, high transhipment costs, low speed and frequency and low automation in information processing. To achieve this objective, AEGIS will leverage a multidisciplinary team to integrate new innovations from the area of Connected and Automated Transport (CAT), including more diverse sizes of ships and more flexible ship systems, automated cargo handling, ports and short sea shuttles, standardized cargo units and new digital technologies to design the next generation sustainable and highly competitive waterborne transport system in Europe.
Waterborne transport has a great potential to reduce road congestion as well as pollution from the transport sector. When used correctly, it is very energy efficient, and new ship types can now operate with a combination of electric batteries, fuel cells and, when necessary, highly efficient combustion engines, e.g. powered by biogas or LNG. This can make them virtually emission, dust and noise free. However, ships have for a long time grown larger to reduce energy and operations cost. This restricts the terminals they can call on, increases costs and sizes of these terminals and reduces service flexibility by reducing frequency and fixing one speed for all cargo on one ship. Ship transport is generally cheaper and friendlier to the environment but loses on offered service quality. Fewer and larger ships are one part of this problem. AEGIS proposes a concept with more and smaller ships that can be used to increase frequency, differentiate speeds, reduce terminal costs and reduce time in port for the larger ships as they will not need to call smaller ports. Several smaller ships also increase reliability and resilience in the transport systems. Breakdown of one vessel has little impact on transport capacities. Automated cargo handling and standardized cargo units will further reduce problems and transhipment costs in ports and on ships. In addition, ships are most efficient when the cargo holds are full, so AEGIS also addresses how to attract new cargo, inbound as outbound, to waterborne transport. This requires new types of services, new business models, better logistics and more streamlined digital solutions.
Waterborne transport has a great potential to reduce road congestion as well as pollution from the transport sector. When used correctly, it is very energy efficient, and new ship types can now operate with a combination of electric batteries, fuel cells and, when necessary, highly efficient combustion engines, e.g. powered by biogas or LNG. This can make them virtually emission, dust and noise free. However, ships have for a long time grown larger to reduce energy and operations cost. This restricts the terminals they can call on, increases costs and sizes of these terminals and reduces service flexibility by reducing frequency and fixing one speed for all cargo on one ship. Ship transport is generally cheaper and friendlier to the environment but loses on offered service quality. Fewer and larger ships are one part of this problem. AEGIS proposes a concept with more and smaller ships that can be used to increase frequency, differentiate speeds, reduce terminal costs and reduce time in port for the larger ships as they will not need to call smaller ports. Several smaller ships also increase reliability and resilience in the transport systems. Breakdown of one vessel has little impact on transport capacities. Automated cargo handling and standardized cargo units will further reduce problems and transhipment costs in ports and on ships. In addition, ships are most efficient when the cargo holds are full, so AEGIS also addresses how to attract new cargo, inbound as outbound, to waterborne transport. This requires new types of services, new business models, better logistics and more streamlined digital solutions.
The overall vision and objective of AEGIS is to develop concepts for waterborne logistics systems with a functionality making them a real alternative for a shift in cargo transport from road to sea.
All WPs in AEGIS have moved forward according to original plans. However, as indicated above, the COVID-19 situation has been a challenge as physical site visits to study "as is situation" in ports and terminals as basis for requirement specifications for novel concept developments have been impossible to accomplish. Most deliverables have been submitted on date. Some very few deliverables have a minor delay according to original plans, which have been clarified and accepted by the Commission upfront, as they will have no impact on the overall progress in the project.
Development of a decision support tool for evaluation of novel waterborne logistics systems as real alternatives for a shift towards waterborne is in good progress in the project. The development is co-ordinated with a complementary development of a tool in the AUTOSHIP project (https://www.autoship-project.eu/).
Novel technology concept developments related to automatic cargo handling in ports and terminals and green advanced vessels are well in progress in the project.
Digital connectivity & cyber security is core. A system design specification and a communication system catalogue which make the basis for further work on improved digital connectivity are developed.
Policy supports and impacts are important to consider in the policy for a shift towards waterborne logistics in Intereuropean transport. Initial work is accomplished. Novel waterborne logistics systems must be economical as well as environmentally competitive. A complete set of KPIs is developed, partly based on discussions with stakeholders.
The basis for all work in AEGIS is three use-cases:
• Case A - Short sea and terminals in Norway
• Case B - Short sea and inland interface in Belgium and Netherlands
• Case C – Revitalizing regional ports and city centre terminals
Stakeholder involvement and discussions with the Advisory Group in the initial period has been comprehensive and has been important forfeedback on important topics related to the development of AEGIS.
Communication and dissemination campaigns have been remarkable to inform stakeholders and the general public about the vision of the project. In this connection it should be specially mentioned that an initiative has been taken to organize two common webinars with the MOSES project (https://moses-h2020.eu/) a sister project under the same call.
All WPs in AEGIS have moved forward according to original plans. However, as indicated above, the COVID-19 situation has been a challenge as physical site visits to study "as is situation" in ports and terminals as basis for requirement specifications for novel concept developments have been impossible to accomplish. Most deliverables have been submitted on date. Some very few deliverables have a minor delay according to original plans, which have been clarified and accepted by the Commission upfront, as they will have no impact on the overall progress in the project.
Development of a decision support tool for evaluation of novel waterborne logistics systems as real alternatives for a shift towards waterborne is in good progress in the project. The development is co-ordinated with a complementary development of a tool in the AUTOSHIP project (https://www.autoship-project.eu/).
Novel technology concept developments related to automatic cargo handling in ports and terminals and green advanced vessels are well in progress in the project.
Digital connectivity & cyber security is core. A system design specification and a communication system catalogue which make the basis for further work on improved digital connectivity are developed.
Policy supports and impacts are important to consider in the policy for a shift towards waterborne logistics in Intereuropean transport. Initial work is accomplished. Novel waterborne logistics systems must be economical as well as environmentally competitive. A complete set of KPIs is developed, partly based on discussions with stakeholders.
The basis for all work in AEGIS is three use-cases:
• Case A - Short sea and terminals in Norway
• Case B - Short sea and inland interface in Belgium and Netherlands
• Case C – Revitalizing regional ports and city centre terminals
Stakeholder involvement and discussions with the Advisory Group in the initial period has been comprehensive and has been important forfeedback on important topics related to the development of AEGIS.
Communication and dissemination campaigns have been remarkable to inform stakeholders and the general public about the vision of the project. In this connection it should be specially mentioned that an initiative has been taken to organize two common webinars with the MOSES project (https://moses-h2020.eu/) a sister project under the same call.
On one side the project will focus on developing novel concepts that will promote a shift towards waterborne logistics in European transports by means of more automatic and autonomous solutions. Central elements are new vessel concepts and cargo handling technologies onboard vessels and in terminals. On the other side, AEGIS focuses on digital connectivity and new business models that will improve the competitiveness in waterborne logistics. AEGIS also looks into policy support & measures relevant for waterborne logistics as well as cost benefit analyses of this.
As a Research and Innovation Action (RIA), AEGIS will demonstrate the results by simulations and laboratory testing. In this work the use-cases are vital.
Impact over business: The AEGIS concepts will contribute to improved competitiveness in waterborne logistics and thus to a shift from road transport towards waterborne transports. The project covers concepts for short sea shipping and inland navigation, as well as the interlink between them. The work on new business models will give valuable input to operators concerning how they need to further develop their business and operations to have full benefit of the AEGIS results.
Impact over sustainability: More automation and autonomy in waterborne logistics is compatible with sustainability and the need to build greener solutions. This will have a positive impact on emissions, road congestions, noise as well as on societal issues. Autonomous vessel designs may have less room for crew and may generally have lower OPEX, resources that may be invested in green technologies.
Road Decongestion: Former macro analyses demonstrate that at least 87 Mio tonnes (of a total of c.a. 237 Mio tonnes) of the continental cargo currently transported by road is suited for intermodal transport along to the existing waterway corridors. The results of AEGIS will contribute to meet the overall policy of EU for a considerable shift from road transport to waterborne solutions, thus to a reduction in GHG emissions to move the same amount of goods per mileage.
Economic, environmental and safety issues are most relevant dimensions to be included in the work in AEGIS. The consortium, supported with contributions from the Advisory Group, all contribute with valuable input on operational, liabilities and legal requirements. The AEGIS decision support tool on cost-benefit analyses will be further developed. These analyses will be important in the dissemination of the project results.
As a Research and Innovation Action (RIA), AEGIS will demonstrate the results by simulations and laboratory testing. In this work the use-cases are vital.
Impact over business: The AEGIS concepts will contribute to improved competitiveness in waterborne logistics and thus to a shift from road transport towards waterborne transports. The project covers concepts for short sea shipping and inland navigation, as well as the interlink between them. The work on new business models will give valuable input to operators concerning how they need to further develop their business and operations to have full benefit of the AEGIS results.
Impact over sustainability: More automation and autonomy in waterborne logistics is compatible with sustainability and the need to build greener solutions. This will have a positive impact on emissions, road congestions, noise as well as on societal issues. Autonomous vessel designs may have less room for crew and may generally have lower OPEX, resources that may be invested in green technologies.
Road Decongestion: Former macro analyses demonstrate that at least 87 Mio tonnes (of a total of c.a. 237 Mio tonnes) of the continental cargo currently transported by road is suited for intermodal transport along to the existing waterway corridors. The results of AEGIS will contribute to meet the overall policy of EU for a considerable shift from road transport to waterborne solutions, thus to a reduction in GHG emissions to move the same amount of goods per mileage.
Economic, environmental and safety issues are most relevant dimensions to be included in the work in AEGIS. The consortium, supported with contributions from the Advisory Group, all contribute with valuable input on operational, liabilities and legal requirements. The AEGIS decision support tool on cost-benefit analyses will be further developed. These analyses will be important in the dissemination of the project results.