AutoMated Vessels and Supply Chain Optimisation for Sustainable Short SEa Shipping

Project Information

MOSES

Grant agreement ID: 861678

DOI

10.3030/861678

Project closed

EC signature date 3 April 2020

Start date 1 July 2020

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 8 122 150,00

EU contribution

€ 8 122 150,00

Coordinated by

ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MOSES (AutoMated Vessels and Supply Chain Optimisation for Sustainable Short SEa Shipping)

Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Short Sea Shipping (SSS) plays a key role in achieving the EU targets for minimising the environmental footprint of transportation. However, road and rail are preferred in many cases due to barriers related to infrastructure availability, lack of door-to-door delivery, integration with other transportation modes, complex cost structure, and delays related to logistics planning. In addition, SSS serves many small ports that are not integrated into the supply chain due to limited or no cargo-handling infrastructure, irregular demand, and the unavailability of 24/7 port services.
The main objective of the MOSES project is to create sustainable SSS feeder services to small ports with a two-fold strategy that consists of: 1) addressing problems associated with large containership operation in DSS ports of the TEN-T network, and 2) stimulating the participation of small ports with limited or no cargo handling infrastructure in the supply chain by creating new, sustainable feeder services.
The Greek and Spanish business cases have shown that there is a significant number of small ports that can be integrated in the EU container supply chain with zero infrastructure investments. The competitiveness of the MOSES feeder services depends on the container transport demand captured by the feeder, which can be cost-effective in a hybrid power configuration with near-zero emissions despite its low cargo capacity. Fully autonomous operation could increase the competitiveness, although more safety studies need to be conducted both for the autonomous navigation and cargo handling functions. The feeder services can be sustained by the MOSES Matchmaking Platform while contributing to modal shift in favour of SSS by at least 10%. Automating the manoeuvring and docking process for large containerships has been proven to be feasible and potentially more efficient compared to the current state of the art. Although human-in-the-loop has been shown as the way to maintain the safety of the operation, more safety studies are needed to investigate the behaviour of the swarm algorithm given failure conditions.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

WP2 defined the concept of operations and the specifications for the MOSES innovations based on user needs, use case scenarios, and regulatory requirements. The Greek and Spanish business cases proved to be viable in terms of transport unit cost, compared to maritime transport of trucks on RoPax vessels (Greek case) and land-based truck transportation (Spanish case).
WP3 developed three concept designs for the MOSES Innovative Feeder Vessel, while its autonomous operation was simulated using a specifically developed time-domain simulation model. The Robotic Container-Handling System, consisted of a crane equipped with a sensor suite, a 3D World Interpreter for situation awareness, a Crane Control Unit, and the Intelligent Operator Support System for remote monitoring of multiple operations.
The MOSES Autonomous Tugboat swarm in WP4 included the following outcomes: 1) the functional and physical architecture for enabling autonomous operation, 2) the virtual training environment, 3) the swarm algorithm developed with reinforcement learning, 4) a preliminary study on the swarm’s fail-safe functionality that highlighted the importance of human-in-the-loop, and 5) the concept design of the Shore Tugboat Control Station.
The MOSES mooring system in WP5 is a re-engineered version of Trelleborg’s AutoMoor system, with a holding capacity of up to 5T and an additional safety margin for unexpected environmental or meteorological conditions. The feasibility study and cost-benefit analysis for the MOSES Recharging Station focused on the innovative feeder.
The business logic for the MOSES Matchmaking Platform in WP6 was determined by identifying logistics roles and analysing use cases and scenarios. A graph model of the transport network and a general customised search algorithm was designed and implemented. The sustainability model included market opportunities and determining impact through the triple-layer business model canvas approach.
The MOSES Pilot Demonstrations in WP7 were planned through a common framework. The AutoDock system was tested and validated in Pilot Demonstration 1. The autonomous port-to-port operation of the IFV was demonstrated in model-scale in Pilot Demonstration 2. The MOSES RCHS was initially tested using a digital twin and validated in Pilot Demonstration 3, with a full-scale crane remotely monitored through the IOSS. The MOSES Sustainability Framework measured the value generated by the project’s innovations with respect to the dimensions of sustainability.
The final exploitation plan in WP8 focused on enhancing pilot sustainability, extending research outcomes, and ensuring post-project utilization. The innovation management activities in WP8 included a SWOT questionnaire, a Market TRL workshop, determining the Innovation Margins, a Porter 5 Forces Analysis and a Profit Simulation with three scenarios for the MOSES Autonomous Tugboat Swarm. The MOSES Policy Recommendations for SSS were derived by analysing the existing regulatory and policy frameworks and the barriers related to the uptake of the MOSES innovations.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Compared to existing container feeders, the MOSES feeder includes the following innovative features: hybrid electric engine configuration, lower design speed, enhanced manoeuvrability through azimuth thrusters, and an automated onboard crane. Fully autonomous, port-to-port operation is technically feasible and could also be a commercial advantage. For the Robotic Container-Handling System, the demonstration has indicated faster loading compared to manual-driven cranes, given the assumptions and the level of technology readiness.
The existing attempts for autonomous tugboats have focused on remotely operated and partially autonomous single tugboats. The MOSES autonomous tugboats will be able to operate as a swarm and communicate with the MOSES AMS and the MOSES Shore Tugboat Control Station. Compared to the existing system by Trelleborg, the MOSES AMS is adapted to a smaller scale in an all-in-one design and recuperates energy from vessel motions. The combined MOSES AutoDock system is expected to significantly reduce the manoeuvring and docking time of large containerships at DSS ports, given the results of the Pilot Demonstration.
The MOSES Matchmaking Platform advances current state-of-the-art by supporting cargo consolidation (at container level) and fully exploiting the bundling potential among different shippers to enable multimodal transport routes containing at least an SSS leg. The MOSES Platform can contribute to improving modal shift to SSS, optimizing cargo transport in regional networks, and therefore reducing the generalized unit transportation costs in environmental and economic terms.
There is high confidence that the MOSES innovations can significantly increase the quantity of freight transported by SSS and that they can contribute to modernising and increasing the reliability of EU waterborne transport. However, there is moderate confidence regarding the ability to decongest road and/or city infrastructure and reduce the environmental footprint of EU freight transport, while there is low confidence in how much the performance of the TEN-T network can be enhanced.

MOSES Concept and Innovations