Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SENATOR (Smart Network Operator Platform enabling Shared, Integrated and more Sustainable Urban Freight Logistics)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2020-09-01 al 2022-02-28
The EU faces the need of sustainable urban development due to the expected demographic evolution of the cities. Today, approximately 75% of the total EU population live in cities, towns and suburbs, and is expected to keep growing by 2030. At this stage, last mile deliveries are moving a global cost up to EUR 70 billion and it is expected to grow between 7-10% over the coming years. In addition, urban freight is responsible for 25% of CO2 emissions and 30 to 50% of pollutants as a result of traffic flow inefficiency, congestion, and exponentially increasing demand. Urban freight service companies are generally very diverse in size and ownership, dispersed and unconnected either with urban planners or among them. They often deliver small deliveries to broadly the same locations, with a high degree of overlapping between delivery networks. The shift in consumer trends towards shared and connected services, e-commerce and better environmental conditions in cities call for new approaches to improve and optimise this part of the supply chain.
SENATOR project proposes a layered urban planning, providing an integrated and robust solution able to tackle the needs of all stakeholders involved in the supply chain: 1] citizens (as demand generators); 2] transport modes; 3] operational logistics, and; 4] urban infrastructure owners, before, during, and after delivery. The project will provide 4 governance schemes for urban planning policies: User demand planning, Transport planning, Freight & Logistics planning and City infrastructure focused, within one multi-collaborative framework based on a new urban logistics model to attend the requirements of the 'on demand economy'. As a result, urban governability will be enhanced considering i) citizen empowerment; ii) integration of new sustainable transport modes; iii) efficient logistics through digitalisation (e.g. shared-connected capabilities), and; iv) urban space management.
For this, SENATOR considers the development of a smart network operator supported on an ICT Platform for integrated logistics operation. It allows the optimisation of freight delivery services in urban areas, leading to i) decrease the number and distance of delivery routes by real-time information, predictions & planning optimisation based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms; ii) shared-connected freight delivery services & collection points; and iii) integrate all freight delivery requirements into urban planification.
SENATOR project proposes a layered urban planning, providing an integrated and robust solution able to tackle the needs of all stakeholders involved in the supply chain: 1] citizens (as demand generators); 2] transport modes; 3] operational logistics, and; 4] urban infrastructure owners, before, during, and after delivery. The project will provide 4 governance schemes for urban planning policies: User demand planning, Transport planning, Freight & Logistics planning and City infrastructure focused, within one multi-collaborative framework based on a new urban logistics model to attend the requirements of the 'on demand economy'. As a result, urban governability will be enhanced considering i) citizen empowerment; ii) integration of new sustainable transport modes; iii) efficient logistics through digitalisation (e.g. shared-connected capabilities), and; iv) urban space management.
For this, SENATOR considers the development of a smart network operator supported on an ICT Platform for integrated logistics operation. It allows the optimisation of freight delivery services in urban areas, leading to i) decrease the number and distance of delivery routes by real-time information, predictions & planning optimisation based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms; ii) shared-connected freight delivery services & collection points; and iii) integrate all freight delivery requirements into urban planification.
During the first 18 months, the SENATOR project is running in the correct direction and has begun producing promising results linked to dissemination, exploitation and impact potential. The activities are progressing well and according to the planning established. The project has achieved 4 milestones and the partners submitted 18 deliverables.
The following results are highlighted:
-An exhaustive analysis on the methodologies for co-creation and efficient stakeholder engagement has been carried out to ensure SENATOR actions have a citizen-centric approach and local communities fully understand the project.
-Available Open Data has been deeply analysed to be fused with the operational information, and completed with closed data (provided by operators or third parties) to provide real time delivery and urban space occupation information. In the sequel of data analytics and machine learning, data sources have been fused with real-time information (e.g. traffic, weather, etc.).
-Physical security of shipments (and pilots) has been studied in D1.3 from the perspective of use cases.
-Preliminary mathematical models based on a single all-purpose meta-heuristic have been devised, supporting concepts such as demand, multi-modal and inter-modality fleet.
-An in-depth analysis of the state-of-the-art has been carried out, analysing latest trends in last-mile logistics and supply-chain optimization, published in D2.1 and accepted for publication.
-The data models and ICT platform have been designed taking into account new urban mobility paradigms, such as the usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(drones), bicycles for logistics operation.
-The software infrastructure has been created, the Data Bases for historical and real time data has been generated and fed, the Data acquisition and messaging mechanism are being deployed, security issues have been applied for access to the services (Digital ID integration) and transaction traceability (BLOCKCHAIN integration), and the main API endpoints are available for the first integrations within the platform modules.
-Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans (SULP) guidelines have started to be defined as a policy support tool for small and medium-sized cities in Europe to improve sustainable city logistics;
-A Dissemination and Communication Plan has been implemented, including a digital marketing strategy that has led to the creation of an engaged social media community with 500 followers and almost 10,000 visits to the project website. 15 articles have been published and 5 newsletters have been sent to subscribers. The project had 45 impacts on local, regional and international media in different countries.
-SENATOR has collaborated with the CIVITAS Initiative through communication channels, meetings and participation in its annual forum. SENATOR has been presented by partners in 10 conferences/events/workshops/sessions.
The following results are highlighted:
-An exhaustive analysis on the methodologies for co-creation and efficient stakeholder engagement has been carried out to ensure SENATOR actions have a citizen-centric approach and local communities fully understand the project.
-Available Open Data has been deeply analysed to be fused with the operational information, and completed with closed data (provided by operators or third parties) to provide real time delivery and urban space occupation information. In the sequel of data analytics and machine learning, data sources have been fused with real-time information (e.g. traffic, weather, etc.).
-Physical security of shipments (and pilots) has been studied in D1.3 from the perspective of use cases.
-Preliminary mathematical models based on a single all-purpose meta-heuristic have been devised, supporting concepts such as demand, multi-modal and inter-modality fleet.
-An in-depth analysis of the state-of-the-art has been carried out, analysing latest trends in last-mile logistics and supply-chain optimization, published in D2.1 and accepted for publication.
-The data models and ICT platform have been designed taking into account new urban mobility paradigms, such as the usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(drones), bicycles for logistics operation.
-The software infrastructure has been created, the Data Bases for historical and real time data has been generated and fed, the Data acquisition and messaging mechanism are being deployed, security issues have been applied for access to the services (Digital ID integration) and transaction traceability (BLOCKCHAIN integration), and the main API endpoints are available for the first integrations within the platform modules.
-Sustainable Urban Logistics Plans (SULP) guidelines have started to be defined as a policy support tool for small and medium-sized cities in Europe to improve sustainable city logistics;
-A Dissemination and Communication Plan has been implemented, including a digital marketing strategy that has led to the creation of an engaged social media community with 500 followers and almost 10,000 visits to the project website. 15 articles have been published and 5 newsletters have been sent to subscribers. The project had 45 impacts on local, regional and international media in different countries.
-SENATOR has collaborated with the CIVITAS Initiative through communication channels, meetings and participation in its annual forum. SENATOR has been presented by partners in 10 conferences/events/workshops/sessions.
SENATOR proposes a new understanding of urban planning that will bring a significant progress beyond the state of the art. Below, the main research fields have been identified:
-Multi-level System Model, supporting 4 different user-friendly modules to meet the needs of the SENATOR stakeholder groups, i.e. freight logistic operators, transport operators, users and municipalities.
-Event stream analysis and predictive analytics based on Machine Learning
-AI-based robust multi-objective optimization models for dynamic planning
-Real Time and 3D visualization of the technologies to purchase the use of geospatial technologies in smart logistics
-Decision-making cycle based on continuous loop of LEARNING supported by prediction, optimization and scenario assessment methods
-API Portal and Marketplace as an API management platform to securely exposing and using SENATOR’s service, allowing citizens, entrepreneurs, SMEs, etc. access to the generated mobility data
The progress beyond the state of the art will allow the achievement of the following expected impacts and results at the end of the SENATOR project:
-Cost-effective strategies, measures and tools to achieve essentially zero emission city logistics;
-A new tested, demonstrated practices and solutions for better cooperation between suppliers, shippers and urban/regions policymakers;
-Inputs for the preparation and implementation of SULP.
Besides, SENATOR will contribute to:
-Promote the generation of job opportunities developing local retail exploring concepts focused on business models, green delivery and high feasibility.
-Promote sustainable urban planning by tackling negative impacts derived from urban logistics performance.
-Promote participatory citizenship empowering their decision making within urban mobility governance with municipalities.
-Tackle air quality impacts due to CO2 emissions, pollutants or noise levels.
-Foster new governance schemes for urban planning.
-Multi-level System Model, supporting 4 different user-friendly modules to meet the needs of the SENATOR stakeholder groups, i.e. freight logistic operators, transport operators, users and municipalities.
-Event stream analysis and predictive analytics based on Machine Learning
-AI-based robust multi-objective optimization models for dynamic planning
-Real Time and 3D visualization of the technologies to purchase the use of geospatial technologies in smart logistics
-Decision-making cycle based on continuous loop of LEARNING supported by prediction, optimization and scenario assessment methods
-API Portal and Marketplace as an API management platform to securely exposing and using SENATOR’s service, allowing citizens, entrepreneurs, SMEs, etc. access to the generated mobility data
The progress beyond the state of the art will allow the achievement of the following expected impacts and results at the end of the SENATOR project:
-Cost-effective strategies, measures and tools to achieve essentially zero emission city logistics;
-A new tested, demonstrated practices and solutions for better cooperation between suppliers, shippers and urban/regions policymakers;
-Inputs for the preparation and implementation of SULP.
Besides, SENATOR will contribute to:
-Promote the generation of job opportunities developing local retail exploring concepts focused on business models, green delivery and high feasibility.
-Promote sustainable urban planning by tackling negative impacts derived from urban logistics performance.
-Promote participatory citizenship empowering their decision making within urban mobility governance with municipalities.
-Tackle air quality impacts due to CO2 emissions, pollutants or noise levels.
-Foster new governance schemes for urban planning.