European ports are testing a new Information Technology (IT) tool, named Low Carbon Mobility Management (LCMM), aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and noise pollution from road freight transport.
In particular, the ports of Riga, Bremerhaven and Hamburg have co-operated with two German technology companies, T-Systems International GmbH and Detecon International GmbH, in order to check the effectiveness of this new solution.
The LCMM system makes it possible to track, control and prevent air pollution from road transport, reduce CO2 emissions and noise pollution in the environment, and improve traffic safety, according to an announcement. “We believe that the new solution will make a significant contribution to improving the quality of the environment in the city of Riga, as well as help to optimise costs for companies involved in the logistics chain,” said Andrejs Sorokins, director of transport and external relations at Detecon International.
Another two road transport companies, SIA Skona and SIA A’Tuin, will take part in the LCMM system test, expecting that the use of the new solution will provide an opportunity to save fuel consumption and car maintenance costs.
The IT unit of the Freeport of Riga Authority has already performed the first analysis of the received data, and it was possible to determine where in the port territory the road freight transport has spent the longest waiting time.
“After a longer testing period and detailed analysis, it will be possible to identify the exact bottleneck locations and causes of the problems, as well as to start work on their elimination,” said the port in its announcement. “Ports and freight carriers, in particular, have a key role to play in reducing overall energy consumption and harmful emissions throughout the supply chain,” added Sorokins.
The Freeport of Riga Authority is currently actively working on several “smart” port projects – co-operation with transport and logistics companies is being developed, various information system solutions for ship, cargo and passenger flow accounting and management have been introduced, a 5G mobile communication network has been developed, document circulation between different port units and public authorities has been automated.
“Nowadays, the competitiveness of the port is assessed not only by the port infrastructure, technical capacity and quality of services, but also by brand new criteria, such as the availability of digital solutions, climate neutrality and environmental security,” emphasised Viesturs Zeps, chairman of the Freeport of Riga Board, who went on to say, “The Port of Riga is a unique digital platform and testing field for smart technological solutions, and our work in this area is an important step towards the Port of Riga’s ambition to become a leader among Baltic ports in the implementation of digital technologies.”
