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Description
This new project aims to demonstrate that when using automated guided vehicles – AGV-SSL – (Autonomous Guided Vehicle equipped with Side Sliding Loader System), it is possible to automate all container handling operations from the ships to any other means of transportation, either a truck or a train.For demonstrating the goals of this project an AGV-SSL prototype will be built, and using it, the circuit of transferring the containers from the ship to the train will be shown by two different ways:
- Containers direct transference from ship to train
- Containers transference from ship to train using an intermediate stop (buffer). Innovative lateral loading system allows the use of electric trains and catenary inside ports and logistic areas, diminishing pollutant emissions. It is also no longer necessary to change locomotives of trains from electric to diesel in ports or logistic areas, what reduces cost and time necessary to load trains.
Having electric freight trains running inside logistic terminals and ports will contribute strongly for achieving the goal of the European Commission of transferring 50% of the freight transportation from road to rail and to waterborne transports, for distances greater than or equal to 300 km.
Port of Leixões and railway operator Medway – will allow to develop the demonstrator in a real environment, by doing a complete container circuit of the container: Ship – Buffer – Train using the AGV-SSL to carry the container from the ship to the train and reversely.
IDN – will develop the software to self-drive the vehicle – and will be responsible for the project results dissemination all around Scandinavian countries helping the international promotion at their ports.
This project has become necessary as shown recently by the problems with large bottlenecks in big international ports incapable of bringing the containers in or out the way they are operating now, what will make this SSL system easily spread around the world.