RTPORT: The 5G-Based Model-Driven Real Time Module for General Cargo Management

Abstract: Major maritime carriers are globally demanding improvements in the efficiency of port operations. Cargo carried by ships must be loaded and unloaded quickly with minimal stopover time in the port. This is driving the implementation of more efficient processes and the reorganization of technologies at the terminals: connected platforms, cloud-based services, service-oriented architectures (SOA), sensors and other IoT technologies (M2M), augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), autonomous transportation, next generation mobile networks (5G) and blockchain-based technology. RTPORT, the 5G-based Model-Driven Real Time Module, will allow a better management of general cargo resulting in faster throughput compared to traditional  human-driven communications. A full reorganized mobile network (5G), connecting smart sensors with cloud resources will be used in order decrease environmental impacts by optimizing trucks movements in the port area as well as improving workers’ safety and enhance their skills with digital tools. The effectiveness of RTPORT will be evaluated in the Port of Livorno for EU Horizon 2020-funded Capacity with a Positive Environmental and Societal Footprint-Ports in the Future (COREALIS) project and it represents the starting point for the deployment of the Physical Internet.

Key words: IoT; 5G; M2M; automation; general cargo; physical internet; supply chain; augmented reality; sustainable development; virtual reality; container terminal

JEL codes: O