Projects

“In five years time, most of the goods flowing through the European fright corridors will be “intelligent”, i.e. self-aware context-aware and connected through a global telecommunication network to support a wide range of information services for logistic operators, industrial users and public authorities. “
Euridice is an Integrated Project funded by EU Seventh Framework Program ICT for Transport Area. The basic concept of Euridice is to build an information services platform centered on the individual cargo item and to study the methods which can allow for its interaction with the surrounding environment and users. The objects taken into consideration form the “Intelligent Cargo” which is able to be aware of its status, its position and the surrounding conditions and to automatically activate, if it is necessary, basic services or communication also involving the informative systems of other users from the supply chain.
The development and diffusion of the “Intelligent Cargo” are intended as a fundamental change in the field of ICT applications for transport logistics. Despite the availability of key technologies, such as RFID, high-speed mobile networks and web services, the largest part of goods still move unsupported by information services along the route, resulting in process inefficiencies, poor communication between supply chain actors, and consequently higher societal costs in terms of environmental impact, safety and security risks.
The Intelligent Cargo will be able to connect itself to logistics service providers, industrial users and authorities to exchange transport-related information and develop specific services whenever required along the transport chain. This will produce significant benefits for the logistic industry and for the community, in particular:
·         Enhanced and widespread capability to monitor, trace and safely handle moving goods at the required level of detail, from full shipments to individual packages or items.
·         Increased efficiency of freight transportation networks, by improving synchronization between cargo owners, logistic services and control authorities; EURIDICE considers “control authorities” not only the bodies which merely control the logistic activities but also those who manage infrastructures, ports, retroports and various realities, thereby making the EURIDICE approach more complete and comprehensive.
·         Improved sustainability of logistic systems, by reducing their impact on local communities in terms of traffic congestion and pollution.
EURIDICE approach consists of making cargo information services available to the mass of potential users, by lowering adoption barriers related to cost, effort and information system requirements. The EURIDICE platform is open and scalable: users will have the possibility to use and extend the EURIDICE services gradually, depending on the involved actors (operators, cargo owners, infrastructures and authorities) and the required level of functionality, from data acquisition to automated transactions, to intelligent data analysis and decisions support. EURIDICE intends to fill the existing gap between technical feasibility and adoption of ICT services platforms for good mobility, by coordinating scientific and technological research and users’ requirements.
Through the realization of the Intelligent Cargo vision, EURIDICE will produce relevant benefits for logistic stakeholders at all the levels: carriers and logistic operators, leading industry and distribution companies operating complex supply chains, public organizations taking care of community interests and citizens’ life quality.

Partnership
The project is developed by a Consortium, coordinated by Insiel (Italy), bringing together 22 partners from 7 countries. The EURIDICE Consortium has been assembled to support a multi-disciplinary approach, involving leading industries and research organizations in complementary domains: mobile and wireless technology, RFID, application software, business consultancy and logistics. The key stakeholders are represented in the Consortium by leading industrial companies from different sectors, logistic operators, public authorities and infrastructures.

The role of Sdag
Sdag is one of the pilots of the projects, which means that its purpose is, through a detailed analysis of its logistic and informative systems and of the requirements necessary to improve the operations which take place not only in its premises but also along the supply chain, to act as a platform in which technological innovations are experimented. In particular, the pilot aims at demonstrating the applicability of the Intelligent Cargo in the logistic processes which involve infrastructures and retroports operators. The flow of goods taken into consideration is made up of steel drums produced in Milan and delivered to Slovenia through the Friuli Venezia Giulia logistic structures. The main actors involved in the process are:
·         The producer (GREIF)
·         The carrier (CAB-LOG)
·         The infrastructure operator (Autovie Venete)
·         The intermodal terminal (SDAG)
·         La foreign trade company (LeyLine)
As in any other non-intelligent flow, there are various problems due to the lack of direct communication between the infrastructure operator and the other actors, especially the carrier. In the flow examined the situation is particularly critical since the truck has to pass through the bottleneck of Moint Nanos which is often close due to strong wind. In this case, the camion stops in places where stopping can be forbidden or which are not suitable to the goods transported. Through the platform of EURIDICE and the cooperation between the various partners, the goods themselves will receive a notification in case of strong wind and will automatically activate a connection with the services SDAG to book a parking area suitable to the type of goods transported. At this point the goods will send a communication to the owner of the goods and to the carrier who will be able to know the positions and the status of the goods at every point along the flow. As in case of wind, also in the presence of significant changes in the status of the goods and of non-authorized manipulation, each item will be able to automatically send notifications to the control authorities. The parking area SDAG will become even more secure and in the forefront.
Summarizing, the main benefits will be:
·         The automatic booking of the most suitable parking area without involving the driver;
·         The constant track and tracing of the cargo and the immediate re-routing in case of modifications to the track due to the presence of strong wind or breakdowns;
A higher level of security and safety: the goods act as an antitheft devise and protect itself.