Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI
Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI

MAGPIE

Automation in ports

How can port logistics be made more sustainable with the help of clean energy?

The EU-funded MAGPIE project (sMaRT Green Ports as Integrated Efficient multimodal hubs) is focused on 12 pilot measures in three core areas to answer this question: alternative energy sources, smart technologies for power supply, and hinterland connections via rail and inland waterways. The ports of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Sines (Portugal), as well as Haropa Port (France) and the DeltaPort network (Germany) are supporting the project. MAGPIE will combine the accelerated introduction of environmentally friendly energy sources with logistics optimization in ports through automation and autonomous operation. With the aim of promoting green, intelligent, and integrated multimodal transportation, MAGPIE will investigate and demonstrate energy supply solutions from the point of view of technology, operations, and process engineering.

MAGPIE in short

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Various sustainable fuels and energy sources are currently under development. These include green hydrogen, large electric batteries, ammonia, and bio-LNG. All have their advantages and disadvantages. Some are more suitable for shipping, others for use in ports themselves or for transport to inland destinations. Some elements of the production-to-use chain have already been tested, others have not. The broad-based international research program focuses primarily on aspects of the use of new fuels and energy carriers that have not yet been tested in practice. This may comprise production, transport, storage, distribution (fuels), and charging (electricity).

Examples include the use of a battery-electric locomotive that can use electricity from an overhead line for driving and recharges its battery in marshalling yards where there is no overhead line. Another example is the bunkering of ammonia as ship fuel or using electricity generated on land as fuel for ships moored offshore at an anchor buoy.

There are also projects in the field of digitalization and automation as part of the energy transition. In addition, tests are being conducted to determine how companies can best be encouraged to make their logistics operations more sustainable. Ultimately, one of the projects is to draw up a master plan for how transport in, to, and from ports can be made CO2-free by 2050 and what needs to be done in the 2030s and 2040s to achieve this.

Fraunhofer IVI's role in the project

Intelligent solutions in the field of digitalization and automation are the key to clean energy logistics. In MAGPIE, Fraunhofer IVI is contributing the helyOS® control tower software framework, which enables yard automation projects to be implemented quickly.

In MAGPIE, helyOS® was set up with map, route, and path planning microservices to control an automated DAF truck. The automation task was implemented and impressively demonstrated together with the MAGPIE partners during the project's interim demonstration at Automotive Week in Helmond in 2023 – an important step on Europe's path to CO2-free transport in, to, and from ports by 2050.

Overview

Partners

Air Liquide France Industrie; AIVP – Association Internationale Villes et Ports; APM Terminals Maasvlakte II; APS – Ports of Sines and the Algarve; Bluewater; CEA – French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission; Chemgas Shipping; Circoé; DAF Trucks; Delft University of Technology; Deltaport; DHL Global Forwarding; Distro Energy; EDP – Centre for New Energy Technologies; EICB – Expertise and Innovation Centre for Barging; ENECO; Erasmus University Rotterdam; EWI – Institute of Energy Economics at University of Cologne; Fraunhofer; GoodFuels; H2 PEG; HAROPA Port; Heerema Marine Contractors; IFP Energies Nouvelles; Imgrund Silogistic; INESC-TEC – Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science; Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping; MARIN – Maritime Research Institute Netherlands; MTS Emmelsum; Netherlands Maritime Technology; NIAG – Niederrheinische Verkehrsbetriebe AG; Planco Consulting; Port of Rotterdam; ProRail; Proton Ventures; Rail Innovators; Rocsys; TNO – Netherlands Organisation for applied scientific research; TU Eindhoven; Van Oord Offshore; Van Oord Ship Management; Volvo Technology; Wärtsilä; Zero Emission Services.
Funding European Union, Horizon 2020
Project term October 2021 - September 2026
Contributor from Fraunhofer IVI Dr. Felix Keppler

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 (MFF 2014-2020) research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement 101036594.