In the city of Amsterdam commercial transport is responsible for 15% of vehicles, 34% of traffic’s CO2 emissions and 62% of NOx emissions. The City of Amsterdam plans to improve traffic flows using real time traffic data and data about loading and unloading zones. In this paper, we present, reflect, and discuss the results of two projects from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences with research partners from 2016 till 2018. The ITSLOG and Sailor projects aim to analyze and test the benefits and challenges of connecting ITS and traffic management to urban freight transport, by using real-time data about loading and unloading zone availability for rerouting trucks. New technologies were developed and tested in collaboration with local authorities, transport companies and a food retailer. This paper presents and discusses the opportunities and challenges faced in developing and implementing this new technology, as well as the role played by different stakeholders. In both projects, the human factor was critical for the implementation of new technologies in practice.
MULTIFILE
Hydrogen (H2) is a key element in the Dutch energy transition, considered a sources of flexibility to balance the variable renewable energy sources, facilitating its integration into the energy system. But also as an energy carrier. Both the gas and electricity transmission operators (TSO) have the vision to interconnect their networks with H2, by distributing the green H2 produced with offshore electrolysers into high pressure gas pipelines to relive the overload electric network. The planned compressed H2 pipelines cross the north of North-Holland region, offering a backbone for a H2 economy. Furthermore, at regional level there are already a big number of privet-public H2 developments, among them the DuWaAl, which is a H2 production-demand chain, consists of 1) An H2 mill, 2) 5 filling stations in the region and 3) a large fleet of trucks and other users. Because of these developments, the North-Holland region needs a better insight into the position that H2 could fulfil in the local energy system to contribute to the energy transition. The aim of this research is to analyse these H2 economy, from the emergent to settled, by identifying early and potential producer- consumer, considering the future infrastructure requirements, and exploring economy-environmental impacts of different supply paths
Within the FREVUE project 80 fully electric freight vehicles have been deployed. It showed that city logistics operations can be performed by electric freight vehicles, but that at the moment the high vehicle purchasing costs are still a barrier for large scale utilisation of electric freight vehicles for logistics operations. Only for small EFVs (lighter than 3.5 tons) a short term feasible business case is possible. For the larger vans and rigid trucks, a feasible business case is not yet possible from an operator’s perspective, often not even with subsidies. Copyright © 2018 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved
ATAL: Automated Transport and Logistics Automatisering van transportmodaliteiten is overal ter wereld gaande. Met een Duurzaam Living Lab kunnen multimodale geautomatiseerde transportoperaties verder in de praktijk duurzaam en opschaalbaar worden ontwikkeld. Hierbij worden beleidsmakers en organisaties ondersteund in deze transitie. De maatschappelijke voordelen van grootschalige uitrol van Automated Trucks en Platooning, Automated Train Operations en Autonomous Sailing zijn onder andere minder energieverbruik en emissies, betere doorstroming en betere verkeersveiligheid. De Duurzame Living Lab heeft betrekking op het haven-achterland vervoer van Rotterdam richting Duitsland en België. Het wegvervoer maakt gebruik van de TULIP-Corridor, water en spoor modaliteit volgen de MIRT goederencorridors tot in het Ruhrgebied.
The research, supported by our partners, sets out to understand the drivers and barriers to sustainable logistics in port operations using a case study of drone package delivery at Rotterdam Port. Beyond the technical challenges of drone technology as an upcoming technology, it needs to be clarified how drones can operate within a port ecosystem and how they could contribute to sustainable logistics. KRVE (boatmen association), supported by other stakeholders of Rotterdam port, approached our school to conduct exploratory research. Rotterdam Port is the busiest port in Europe in terms of container volume. Thirty thousand vessels enter the port yearly, all needing various services, including deliveries. Around 120 packages/day are delivered to ships/offices onshore using small boats, cars, or trucks. Deliveries can take hours, although the distance to the receiver is close via the air. Around 80% of the packages are up to 20kg, with a maximum of 50kg. Typical content includes documents, spare parts, and samples for chemical analysis. Delivery of packages using drones has advantages compared with traditional transport methods: 1. It can save time, which is critical to port operators and ship owners trying to reduce mooring costs. 2. It can increase logistic efficiency by streamlining operations. 3. It can reduce carbon emissions by limiting the use of diesel engines, boats, cars, and trucks. 4. It can reduce potential accidents involving people in dangerous environments. The research will highlight whether drones can create value (economic, environmental, social) for logistics in port operations. The research output links to key national logistic agenda topics such as a circular economy with the development of innovative logistic ecosystems, energy transition with the reduction of carbon emissions, societal earning potential where new technology can stimulate the economy, digitalization, key enabling technology for lean operations, and opportunities for innovative business models.
Road freight transport contributes to 75% of the global logistics CO2 emissions. Various European initiatives are calling for a drastic cut-down of CO2 emissions in this sector [1]. This requires advanced and very expensive technological innovations; i.e. re-design of vehicle units, hybridization of powertrains and autonomous vehicle technology. One particular innovation that aims to solve this problem is multi-articulated vehicles (road-trains). They have a smaller footprint and better efficiency of transport than traditional transport vehicles like trucks. In line with the missions for Energy Transition and Sustainability [2], road-trains can have zero-emission powertrains leading to clean and sustainable urban mobility of people and goods. However, multiple articulations in a vehicle pose a problem of reversing the vehicle. Since it is extremely difficult to predict the sideways movement of the vehicle combination while reversing, no driver can master this process. This is also the problem faced by the drivers of TRENS Solar Train’s vehicle, which is a multi-articulated modular electric road vehicle. It can be used for transporting cargo as well as passengers in tight environments, making it suitable for operation in urban areas. This project aims to develop a reverse assist system to help drivers reverse multi-articulated vehicles like the TRENS Solar Train, enabling them to maneuver backward when the need arises in its operations, safely and predictably. This will subsequently provide multi-articulated vehicle users with a sustainable and economically viable option for the transport of cargo and passengers with unrestricted maneuverability resulting in better application and adding to the innovation in sustainable road transport.
