Digitalization of Sea Transports – Enabling Sustainable Multi-Modal Transports

In todays industries requirements are put upon that the different actors integrate their performance for the purpose of the transportation system as a whole. Door-to-door processes, seamless integration, and multi-modal integration are expressions for such movement where the requirements of the beneficiaries are put at the core. Digitalization could enable such movement. For mid- and long-range transports, sea transports has proven to be a sustainable mean of transport, but it needs to be integrated in a larger transport chain to reach its full effects. In this paper the concept of Sea Traffic Management is introduced as a way to enable integration by an increased degree of digitalization in the shipping industry and further on to the transportation system as a whole. By looking upon sea transports from a multi-organizational point of view and episodic coupling, information sharing processes in which actors’ intentions and performances (states) are shared, has been identified

Co-using Infrastructure for Sustainability in Maritime Transports

Sustainable transportation systems require optimal co-use of infrastructure. Different means of transportation use infrastructure for its operations. At certain points these means of transportation utilizes the same infrastructure, such as e.g. passages on or under bridges, which require co-modal coordination. To create means for such coordination, situational awareness needs to be established among involved actors by digitalization and principles for information sharing. In this short paper, a co-modal transport system, GOTRIS (Göta Älv River Information Services), is used as a basis for a deeper understanding of the challenges for reaching an optimal co-use of infrastructure. By integrating information from maritime transports as one source in this coordination effort, sustainable transportation systems can be reached. This challenge is formulated in a research question and a preferred approach is stated

Visibility in multimodal maritime container transport chains - Logistics service providers' perspective

Nowadays, transparency and digitalization of actions in the whole supply chain are emphasized and firms are demanding visibility to better forecast, plan and control the flow of goods. The expectations towards fully real-time traceable cargo flow are high and logistics service providers are recommended to digitize their actions to stay in the highly competitive freight transport markets. When it comes to technology, it has been developed rapidly and can provide very sophisticated solutions to enhance visibility. Information flow is a key for visibility. Therefore, information and communication technology (ICT) is vital to enhance visibility. However, technology alone does not enable visibility. It requires collaboration with other involved actors in the transport chain. Multimodal maritime container transport chains are complex in a sense that they require deep collaboration in a form of IT-compatibility with vast number of players involved within the carriage of goods to enhance seamless and automatized exchange of information. It has been disclosed that the biggest logistics service providers have already been able to form such collaborative relationships with big shipping lines, for instance. Also, market leaders usually arrange the pre- and end-haulage of the transport with own assets and therefore information flow is advanced. However, freight transport industry is highly fragmented and majorly consists of small-sized firms. Margins in the freight transport markets are extremely low as customers do not see added value in freight transportation and therefore transportation is seen as an extra harmful cost for firms. Therefore, the idea of big IT-investments and integration of actions with other players is infeasible for some companies. In this study, visibility in multimodal maritime container transport chains is investigated in a wide sense by conducting semi-structured interviews among different-sized logistics service providers located in Finland. First, the current adoption of visibility is studied, the benefits of it are discussed and the barriers to adopt visibility are discussed. Furthermore, perceptions towards the importance of visibility as a service offering in the creation of competitive strategies are investigated

The concept of the sustainable port – ports becoming enablers of sustainability in trans-ports and logistics

Global transportation is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Portsplay an important role for the leap towards a more sustainable transport ecosystem. Overthe years, empowered by the Swedish innovation project I.Hamn, a concept for thesustainable port has been developed by the Swedish ports (see Appendix 1). This efforthas been financed by the Swedish Transport Administration’s industry programmeSustainable shipping managed by Lighthouse. The project is coordinated by the ResearchInstitutes of Sweden (RISE), and University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University ofTechnology are project partners.The result is a vision of the sustainable port, including a roadmap - developed togetherwith Lighthouse Focus group for Ports - supporting Swedish ports, in which the threepillars of sustainability have been addressed, i.e., economic, social, and environmentalsustainability.Globala transporter \ue4r en av de st\uf6rsta bidragsgivarna till utsl\ue4ppen av v\ue4xthusgaser. Hamnarna spelar en viktig roll f\uf6r spr\ue5nget mot ett mer h\ue5llbart transportekosystem. Genom insatser i innovationsprojektet I.Hamn har ett koncept f\uf6r den h\ue5llbara hamnen tagits fram av de svenska hamnarna (se Appendix 1). Satsningen har finansierats av Trafikverkets branschprogram H\ue5llbar sj\uf6fart som f\uf6rvaltas av Lighthouse. Projektet har koordinerats av Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) tillsammans med G\uf6teborgs universitet och Chalmers tekniska h\uf6gskola.\ua0Resultatet \ue4r en vision om den h\ue5llbara hamnen, inklusive en f\ue4rdplan - framtagen tillsammans med Lighthouse Fokusgrupp Hamnar - som st\uf6djer svenska hamnar, d\ue4r de tre pelarna f\uf6r h\ue5llbarhet har tagits upp, det vill s\ue4ga ekonomisk, social och milj\uf6m\ue4ssig h\ue5llbarhet

Logistics and Agri\u2010Food: Digitization to Increase Competitive Advantage and Sustainability. Literature Review and the Case of Italy

This paper examines the current challenges faced by logistics with a focus on the agri\u2010food sector. After outlining the context, a review of the literature on the relationship between logistics and strategic management in gaining and increasing competitiveness in the agri\u2010food sector is con-ducted. In particular, the flow of the paper is as follows: after examining the aforementioned managerial problem and its broader repercussions, the paper proceeds to address two main research questions. First, how and by which tools can digitization contribute to improving supply chain management and sustainability in logistics? Second, what are the main managerial and strategic implications and consequences of this for the agri\u2010food sector in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, cost reduction, and supply chain optimization? Finally, the paper presents Italy as a case study, chosen both for its peculiar internal differences in logistical infrastructures and entrepreneurial management between Northern and Southern regions (which could be at least partially overcome with the use of new technologies and frameworks) and for the importance of the agri\u2010food sector for the domestic economy (accounting about 25% of the country\u2019s GDP), on which digitization should have positive effects in terms of value creation and sustainability

Synchromodality as a prospective digitalization scheme for freight logistics : a pre-study report

The proliferation of digital technologies presents a potential avenue to transform the freight logistics industry by streamlining the information flow, increasing the flexibility of transportation routes, and creating a more effective and efficient freight logistics system. In an endeavor to gain a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s needs/challenges and to formulate a proficient policy framework to address them, a pre-study was undertaken at the World Maritime University (WMU). This scholarly exploration centered on the concept of synchromodality, which involves the harmonization of different freight logistics modalities. The study delineates a working definition of synchromodality within the context of freight logistics. Furthermore, it proffers a Synchromodality Maturity Model designed to evaluate the digitalization progress of stakeholders in the industry. This assessment is supported by case investigations into Roll-on/Roll-off logistics in Sweden. Working Definition: Synchromodality is an operational concept applicable to freight logistics for the purpose of adding value to customers by organizing and utilizing resources in an effective and efficient way, that can be achieved through facilitating integration amongst stakeholders along the logistics chain and enhancing their operational visibility and flexibility. The outcomes of this study carry noteworthy implications for both policy formulation and industrial implementation. The study advocates that policymakers allocate considerable resources to invest in digital infrastructure and establish standardized data protocols to foster collaborative partnerships. Moreover, logistics service providers are encouraged to pivot their strategies on generating customer value, nurturing collaborative ecosystems, and enhancing human capital in the context of data-centric methodologies. It is postulated that synchromodality could increase operational efficiency through optimal utilization of transportation resources, improve environmental sustainability, and enhance customer satisfaction. Exploring future studies in this area is required to achieve synchromodality in practice, such as: Towards enhancing digital infrastructure for greater freight logistics services Towards striving for seamless integration of all stakeholders in freight logistics chains Towards facilitating technology adoption in the freight logistics network This pre-study project was funded by Trafikverket and was supported by various logistics companies, shippers, and academic organizations.https://commons.wmu.se/lib_reports/1092/thumbnail.jp

Using Blockchain to Sustainably Manage Containers in International Shipping

This paper investigates how blockchain technology can improve information flows on empty container repositioning at an inter-organizational level in the shipping industry. By adopting a theory-generating design science research approach, we develop and evaluate an industry-wide blockchain artefact, named Greenbox Platform, where container owners can register, trade and share containers. It brings efficiency for shipping companies via cost reduction through minimizing the need for empty container repositioning, and effectiveness for leasing companies via container proof of ownership. The paper contributes to its application domain by a practical, theory-driven and novel application of blockchain technology to the shipping industry. Theorizing on its development and evaluation, the paper provides preliminary groundwork for two nascent design principles: 1) Explicitly define a structure of incentives for interorganizational and cross-industrial blockchain applications where stakeholders’ interests are not necessarily aligned; and 2) Consider environmental sustainability as a non-functional requirement in the development of a blockchain artefact