Monitoring intermodal flows at the Port of Trieste: an UHF ...

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Monitoring Intermodal Flows at theMonitoring Intermodal Flows at the

Port of Trieste: an UHF RFID ApplicationPort of Trieste: an UHF RFID Application

Giovanni Grieco, CAEN RFIDGiovanni Grieco, CAEN RFID

Paolo Paganelli, InsielPaolo Paganelli, Insiel

5th PROMIT Workshop on Intermodal Transport Across Borders5th PROMIT Workshop on Intermodal Transport Across Borders

Bologna, 20-21 November 2007Bologna, 20-21 November 2007

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Monitoring the flow of goods in real time:who is (should be) interested and why

Goodson the move

Logistic Operators• Resources

optimization• Exceptions

management• Customer service

Industry• Supply chain visibility• Product tracking• Customer service

Infrastructures• Traffic planning• Accidents and

congestionprevention

• Users service

Authorities• Security and public

safety• Customs control • Simplified procedures

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Main obstacles to technical feasibility appear as removed (or close to)

Technologies for identification (RFID), positioning (GNSS) and ubiquitous wireless connectivity.

Service Oriented Architectures and interoperability platforms, supporting data interchange and collaboration processes between actors in the supply chain.

Standards such as GS1 EPC Global, providing the necessary reference and support for RFID-based goods identification, as well as a reference architecture (the EPC Global Network) for tracking and managing information on RFID-tagged items on a global scale.

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Monitoring goods on the move: still a patchwork exercise

Transport

Deta

il level

Warehouse

Route Territory

Shipment

Package

Item

Extension

Area not coveredby current solutions

Track & Trace

Fleet mgmt,Traffic control

ERP,SCM

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Single-stakeholder perspective

Industry: Focus on a specific supply-chain nodes (company plants,

warehouses). Limited visibility on transport and logistic operations. Very limited contribution of information from SMEs.

Logistic service providers: Focus on an individual route. Lack of integrated information across operators for multimodal

door-to-door transport. Lack of item details.

Infrastructures and authorities: Focus on a specific area or infrastructure, for traffic management

and security purposes. Transit monitoring and certification seen as “yet another e-

Government platform” (why not sharing fine-grained data with industry and logistic service providers?)

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The main obstacles are not technical

Data protection concerns Shared platforms have failed in the past for lack of data

committed by the commercial parties involved (e.g., web based centralized reservation systems).

Unclear cost and benefit allocation RFID and wireless technology investments are easy to evaluate

locally, much less in distributed contexts Standard adoption is not an attractive investment “per se” RFID tagging responsibility tends to be up to no-one (typically

transferred upwards in the supply chain).

Result: Localized systems that work, Shared platforms that fail to achieve critical mass.

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An example of multi-stakeholder approach:The SEC project in Friuli Venezia Giulia

Tracking of trailers at a Regional level: RFID tagging of trailers for automatic identification through EPC global

information standards. Sharing of vehicle IDs, driver and cargo information through integration

with relevant players in the transport chain (shippers, terminals, motorways, ..).

Monitoring of relevant events (transit, load, unload, ..) through RFID readers positioned at gates and in the terminal areas.

Real-time integration with shippers and carriers systems to synchronize vehicle movements with terminal and ship operations.

Sharing of vehicle, cargo and driver information with customs and public authorities for security control.

Benefits: Real-time monitoring of flows and terminal operations. Security management. Speed-up of administrative, security and healthcare controls. (potential) tracking support for end users.

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Port terminals(Samer ROROl)

Land Terminal (Fernetti)

Motorway gates (Lisert)

Regional server

Terminal operators

Carriers

Port Authority,Customs (SVAD), GDF

Security control data

Port entrance

Data on carrier, shipper, container, goods

Movements in real time

Availability for pre-booking

Embark or park instructions

Pre-booking, priority reservation

Real-time data (transit, entrance, exit, load, unload)

Railways

Operation of the SEC regional platform

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RFID tags can be passive, active or semi-active. Passive tags are the less expensive and easy to install. Since they have no battery, they do not need to be replaced over time.

An RFID tag will be applied on the trailers and road-tractors that need to be tracked. The tag includes a microchip holding various data, including a code (ID) that univocally identifies the trailer, tractor or container.

The RFID application in SEC

The Tag or Transponder

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What is RFID?What is RFID?

RFID means: Radio Frequency IDentification

RFID is an Analog to Digital Converter technology that uses Radio-Frequency waves to transfer data between a reader and a movable item to identify, categorize, track...

RFID is fast, reliable, and does not require physical sight or contact between reader/scanner and the tagged item

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A little bit of history

RFID technology was used for the first time from RAF during the Second World War with IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) purposes

Late 60’s – Personnel identification in nuclear areas

1977 – Los Alamos laboratories disclose the technology to the public

80’s – First passive Tags and commercial applications

2000 – First Standards and interests from the big corporations

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Components of an RFID system

An RFID system includes at least four components:

READER TAG

1. The TAG or TRANSPONDERlocated on the object to be identified

2. The READER or INTERROGATOR which can read/write the transponder

3. The physical environment4. The IT infrastructure

Server/Enterprise ResourcePlanner

Edgeware

EnvironmentIT Infrastructure

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What is a Reader?What is a Reader?

A reader is a device that is used to communicate with a RFID Tag

The reader has two basic components: A scanning antenna A transceiver with a decoder to interpret the data

Can implement anti-collision algorithms

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What is a Tag?What is a Tag?

A Tag is a transponder which receives a radio signal and in response to it sends out another radio signal

Tag contains an antenna and a chip that can store data

Metal-Mount Tag

Temperature Logger

Active Tag transmits radio signalInternally powered memory, radio & circuitryHigh Read Range (up to 100 meters)

PassiveTag reflects radio signal from readerReader poweredMedium Read Range (up to 10 meters)

Semi PassivePower Source used to keep alive some circuitryRF circuit is not powered by this source

Active Tag

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Why so much interest in RFID?Why so much interest in RFID?

After September 11th the Security/Access control sector of the RFID has been growing in an exponential way

UHF solves distance issues previously unsolved with LF/HF RFID Wal-Mart, DoD, Metro have been pushing their top 100 suppliers to adopt

RFID at the pallet/case level The RFID market belongs to the fastest growing sector in radio

technology industry

Analysts believe that RFID will be the 3rd IT Revolution after the Personal Computer and the Mobile Phones

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What are the most important benefits of RFID?What are the most important benefits of RFID?

Cost Reduction

Flow Process Efficiency

Shipping Accuracy

Improved inventory management

Freight Traceability (Government Regulations)

Quality Assurance

Data Sharing between players

Quantitative

Qualitative

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Shifting the focus from the “platform” to the cargo itself:The EURIDICE project

Large scale integrated project (IP) approved in the 1st call of the 7th EU Framework Program FP, “ICT for Transport” area.

22 partners from 9 countries, coordinated by Insiel. EURIDICE aims at providing information services centered on

the individual cargo item and on its current interaction with the surrounding environment and the user.

The project is planned for start on January 2008, has a duration of three years and a budget of 14 millions euro.

European Inter-Disciplinary Research on Intelligent Cargo for Efficient, Safe and Environment-friendly Logistics

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The EURIDICE consortium

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EURIDICE objectives

Supporting the interaction of individual cargo items with the surrounding environment and users on the field, through “on the fly” combination of services from multiple stakeholders (shippers, carriers, infrastructures).

Improving logistic performances through the application of intelligent cargo concepts and technologies in the working practices of operators and industrial users.

Developing collaborative business models for an intelligent cargo infrastructure to be established, sustained and fed with appropriate information.

Realizing more secure and environment friendly transport chains through the adoption of intelligent cargo to support modal shift and door-to-door intermodal services.

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The “intelligent cargo” concept

RFID

Car

rier

Ser

vice

s

Site services

Vehicl

e

Servic

es

Mobile U

ser

services

Positioning

Services

GPS,Galileo

Car

rier

Ser

vice

sShipper s

ervice

s Infrastructure

Services

Producer services

Public Authorities services

Example: Check/Inspectionat land terminal

RFID

Car

rier

Ser

vice

s

Site services

Vehicl

e

Servic

es

Mobile U

ser

services

Positioning

Services

GPS,Galileo

Car

rier

Ser

vice

s

Shipper servi

ces Infrastructure

Services

Producer services

Public Authorities services

Certify originand transit rights

Identify shipment

Qualify content

Verify customs authorisationsCargo-centric Information

Services InfrastructureUser and context

specific interaction

ServicesCombination

on the fly