SEAMLESS will develop and adapt missing building blocks and enablers into a fully automated, economically viable and cost-effective, waterborne freight feeder loop service for SSS (Short Sea Shipping) and IWT (Inland Waterways Transport). SEAMLESS will develop and integrate autonomous systems in a way that ensures safe, resilient, efficient, and environmentally friendly operation to shift road freight movements towards waterways.
BUILDING BLOCKS
- B1 & B2
SEAMLESS services will be delivered by tailored autonomous cargo shuttles, which will operate 24/7 with humans-in-the-loop located in remote control centres. The autonomous vessels will efficiently cooperate with automated and autonomous shore-side infrastructure (incl. docking and cargo handling at port) and safely interact with conventional, manned systems in the supply chain. - B3
SEAMLESS services will be based on a redesigned logistics system that will facilitate seamless freight flows through the supply chain by minimising delays in intermodal nodes (i.e., where waterborne and land-based transport modes are connected). This includes a SEAMLESS digital “bird’s-eye” view of the supply chain, that allows the exploitation of real-time information (incl. from SEAMLESS physical assets), for planning optimisation and reconfiguration to support resilient logistics.
ENABLERS
- E1 & E2
SEAMLESS will verify and validate the building blocks involved in the feeder service by conducting full-scale demonstrations in selected real-world scenarios, by combining physical and digital assets developed in the project with assets provided by the Consortium. SEAMLESS will also demonstrate transferability in selected use cases that cover a wide range of transport applications and geographical regions with different requirements throughout Europe. Based on a structured methodological framework that will evaluate sustainability criteria (local and wider levels), they will act as guidance for the replication of the project results beyond the project scope and time-span. - E3
SEAMLESS will develop novel business models that will provide a framework and pathways for practically implementing the SEAMLESS service with the goal to minimise of minimizing investment risk for first movers. SEAMLESS will also identify gaps and challenges in the current regulatory framework related to autonomous vessel operation and provide recommendations for policymakers to allow the smooth and safe deployment of fully automated services.
