Intelligent transport systems in multimodal logistics: A case of role and contribution through wireless vehicular networks in a sea port location

The growing complexity of logistics and its importance as a major economic activity has raised the profile of information and communication technology (ICT) as means to improve the levels of visibility, responsiveness and efficiency in supply chains relying in multimodal transport operations. With the use of wireless vehicular networks, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) have the potential to shape the future of multimodal logistics. In the absence of sophisticated ICT tools, the potential role and contribution of ITS and in particular wireless vehicular networks play in logistics is investigated in a multimodal case of a port terminal handling bulk material transported by sea, which is unloaded into haulage vehicles. Event flow mapping and network modelling analysis are used to determine the feasibility of ITS to support real-time data traffic related to the exchange of messages, which are representative of the flow of events taking place in multimodal logistics and which can be associated to high-impact capabilities with economic repercussions such as track and trace.