Join the dots with ePIcenter

PORT TO PORT

TRADE • SHINING A TECHNOLOGICAL LIGHT ON THE COMPLEXITY OF MARITIME TRANSPORT WILL REVEAL THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES, A NEW PROJECT AIMS TO SHOW

MARITIME TRADE REPRESENTS one of the most complex supply chains of all, with myriad players both at sea and ashore. As such, it is ripe ground for implementing digital systems to enable all participants to keep their eyes on what is happening – and to improve efficiency at all points in the chain. While many such projects are going ahead, they are all targeted at specific applications.

There is now a broader project underway, designed to turn the challenges posed by global supply chains – with their increasing length, complexity and vulnerability – into opportunities. Being coordinated by the Port

ANTWERP IS ONCE AGAIN AT THE CENTRE OF DIGITALISED

INNOVATION TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY of Antwerp, the ePIcenter project aims to support the seamless transport of goods by using the technological and operational opportunities offered by the internet, synchromodal operations and new disruptive technologies, such as Hyperloop, Industry 4.0 and autonomous vehicles.

The ePIcenter project – derived from ‘Enhanced Physical Internet-Compatible Earth-Friendly Freight Transportation Answer’ - is global in scope, looking to demonstrate how the new technology can improve efficiencies on transatlantic trades, the new Silk Road routes and intra-European trades. It will involve collaboration between technology innovators and environmental experts, as well as logistics specialists.

“We are very enthusiastic about kicking off the ePIcenter project, which will allow us to create a transcontinental, integrated and transparent freight corridor by leveraging existing and promising technologies, frameworks and data standards,” says Erwin Verstraelen, chief digital and innovation officer at the Port of Antwerp.

“Port of Antwerp and Port of Montreal, both important nodes in the global supply chain, will act as catalyst for symbiosis amongst the different stakeholders,” he adds.

ALL JOIN HANDS There are some 35 partners in the project, including leading ports, forwarders, cargo owners, logistics providers, academic institutions and technology firms. One of the logistics firms involved is Den Hartogh, which states: “As world-leading provider of specialist multimodal services for bulk products, Den Hartogh is the ideal end user for this test case of ePIcenter solutions, providing grounded, real-world opinion and feedback on how to work in a global network. Our expertise in transporting dangerous goods and our partnership with MOLCT will be relevant to standards and design of synchromodal optimisation rules and our strong focus on digitalisation and supply chain visibility will contribute to realising innovative solutions for the supply chain of the future.”

The Port of Antwerp will host one of the large-scale elements of the project: the ‘Link of the Future’. This will focus on implementing the various ePIcenter innovations in one of Europe’s largest multimodal transport hubs, as well as realising the first transcontinental cyber-secure trade lane. Furthermore, the Port of Antwerp says, its international network will create possibilities for valuable worldwide knowledge sharing and further improvement of the tools developed in the project.

“The future of our port and its prosperity goes hand in hand with the power of innovation,” says Annick de Ridder, vice-mayor of the Port of Antwerp. “We are proud to play a pioneering role and to serve as a laboratory for innovation. Today more than ever it is important to make our global supply chain more resilient to an evolving and volatile world with a variety of challenges.” www.portofantwerp.com