The transport sector is the largest polluting industry, responsible for 25.8% of the total EU-27 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019. Moreover, it is the only sector that has failed to reduce GHG emissions over the past two decades. Road transport (passengers and freight) is responsible for the vast majority of these emissions. The shift from road to alternative modes (i.e., rail and inland waterways) is a priority area of action. In 2019, as much as 76.3% of the inland freight flows were transported using road transport, highlighting the imbalance between the different modes. In the past decades, the concepts of multimodality, intermodality, and synchromodality emerged, aiming to induce the well-discussed mode/modal shift evolving into the concept of synchromodality.
Synchromodality constitutes a technological and organisational innovation aiming to induce the mode shift by enabling a flexible and adaptive mode and route choice based on real-time information. Generally, a synchromodal transport system is envisioned for the hinterland transport leg of a container transport chain. The transport mode(s) and the route are thus not decided in advance but in real time both before and during the transit. In order to enable real-time switching, the different modes and the responsible actors should be integrated.
After months of research in FRONTIER, we have concluded that a synchromodal system requires a three-pillar foundation: operational-technical, technological, and behavioral-organisational.
First, the operational-technical pillar covers, the planning issues, the optimal set-up of physical infrastructure, and the means to move the freight. In that regard, container transportation has great potential to be the first mover on synchromodality, as the loading unit is standard for different modes and the deep sea ports play an important role in this type of transportation. In Antwerp, with the support of the Flemish Waterways Agency, FRONTIER is exploring opportunities for the trucks directed to the deep sea port terminals to drop the containers in hinterland terminals. From there, barges can complete the final leg via waterway transport.
Second, the technological pillar deals with data-sharing and solutions to increase communication among multiple stakeholders working in logistics ecosystems. Also, making sure that the information is accurate, reliable, and on-time. We are identifying the relevant stakeholders that provide and use information relevant for handling containers in terminals. Solutions like ANTME could bring the information together and help to coordinate the different stakeholders. Third, the behavioural-organisational pillar focuses on establishing (horizontal and vertical) collaborative networks, building trust, and allowing flexibility in the decision-making processes.
In FRONTIER we have been working closely with the stakeholders that can enable synchromodality. For example, on the of 30th June 2022, we held a hybrid workshop on Visualising the future of Synchromodality, during which we concentrated on the three aforementioned pillars. Ninety-four (94) people participated, of which 22 attended physically and 72 online. The fruitful discussions and the subsequent further research led to interesting findings, which we would like to summarise following.
Technology through data sharing and visibility is a key factor. Data sharing plays a key role in synchromodal ecosystems because it allows different transportation modes and multi-level stakeholders to access and use information about the transportation system in real-time. This can help to improve the coordination and planning of transportation services, reduce costs, and enhance the overall customer experience.
The federated logistics data space concept is designed to increase visibility through the interoperability of services. According to Gaia-X (2022), it is a type of data relationship between trusted partners who follow the same high-level standards and guidelines for data storage and sharing within one or multiple vertical ecosystems. Under this concept, data is available at the source and is not centralised in a single location, which allows stakeholders to combine data streams, isolated datasets, tools, information, and applications in a cooperative manner. The federated infrastructure for a synchromodal environment is owned by stakeholders, avoiding the concentration of control over data and services. This makes the infrastructure federated rather than centralised (Otto, 2022). Increasing visibility can improve supply chain responsiveness (Williams et al., 2013).
The application of federated data spaces can provide several benefits in terms of increased visibility. First, shippers may have greater visibility into the transport market and be able to access various useful and timely data sources related to shipping and logistics in order to improve their processes and achieve a more reliable and responsive supply chain. Second, transport providers can use increased visibility to build trust and provide flexibility to their business partners, leading to better horizontal relationships. Third, terminal operators can benefit from expanded visibility beyond the port community system. The data space structure can also help to more effectively organise data, potentially addressing the issue of data sharing among multiple parties."
Overall, the federated logistics data space is an important component of synchromodality because it helps to ensure that all stakeholders in the transportation system have the information they need to operate efficiently and effectively and that the system as a whole is able to adapt to changing conditions and needs.
The behavioural-organisational pillar of synchromodality is largely underexposed in the existing research, and significant assumptions about the organisations’ behaviour are often made. However, we argue that this dimension requires careful consideration in a synchromodal context for many reasons. First, we indicate that the evolution from how the actors generally behave in the current business-as-usual set-up of hinterland transport to how they should behave in a synchromodal set-up is not evident. The customer should, for example, delegate his mode choice decision-making authorities to a more central agent (e.g., a Logistics Service Provider). Therefore, it might be essential to consider what measures should be taken to build support among all actors for a synchromodal system. Second, since synchromodality involves the notion of “process follows structure”, i.e., the focus is on utilising the optimal combination of transport modes independent of the actors who operate the specific mode (Gudehus & Kotzab, 2012). Consequently, the synchromodal operations often cross the involved firms’ borders and require deploying various resources owned by different actors. All these actors have their own knowledge, capabilities, contracts, etc. resulting in a complex collaborative ecosystem. Since transportation is greatly influenced by complex human and organisational behaviour, we will shed further light on this dimension in upcoming research (McFadden, 2007).
Related to the behavioural-organisational pillar, the EU-funded project FRONTIER considers, among others, how Traffic Management Partnerships between network operators might contribute to better traffic management and the alleviation of congestion. For example, the coordination between the waterway and roadway management in the Antwerp Pilot case could shift part of the freight cargo from the road to the water. From this, it is expected to light up the waterway transport fortifying this more sustainable mode, reducing road traffic and congestion improving its flow and speed, among others. In the next phases of FRONTIER, these consequences will be studied as well as the challenges of implementing synchromodality.
Bibliography:
European Commission. (2022). EU transport in figures : statistical pocketbook 2022. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/doi/10.2832/216553.
Gaia-X. (2022). Gaia initiative. Retrieved from https: //gaia-x.eu/what-is-gaia-x/core-elements/data-spaces/.
Gudehus, T., & Kotzab, H. (2012). Comprehensive logistics. Springer Science & Business Media.
Khakdaman, M., Rezaei, J., & Tavasszy, L. A. (2020). Shippers’ willingness to delegate modal control in freight transportation. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 141, 102027.
McFadden, D. (2007). The behavioral science of transportation. Transport policy, 14(4), 269-274
Otto, B. (2022). A federated infrastructure for European data spaces. Communications of the ACM, 65, 44-45.
Williams, et al (2013). Leveraging Supply Chain Visibility for Responsiveness: The Moderating Role of Internal Integration. Journal of Operations Management. 31. 543–554. 10.1016/j.jom.2013.09.003.