Efficient maritime logistics in the Baltic Sea area

Olena de Andrés González,
Researcher, Ph.D.,
Satakunta University of Applied Sciences,
Finland

Heikki Koivisto,
Project Manager, Captain,
Satakunta University of Applied Sciences,
Finland

Minna M. Keinänen-Toivola,
Head of Research, Adjunct Professor, Ph.D.,
Satakunta University of Applied Sciences,
Finland

Essentially Finland could be seen as an island in respect of logistics. The efficient logistical solutions are extremely important at the Baltic Sea region, especially at maritime logistics.

Digitalization can typically be initiated at the port managing and automating information flows within the port and between the port and the vessels. Intermodal sharing of information is crucial when managing logistics. The main goals for the maritime sector could be described as becoming safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly. Same as all improvements to the efficiency of the operations aim eventually to become economically more profitable.

In order to optimize maritime transportation between Finland and Sweden the Interreg Central Baltic Efficient Flow project created a Port Activity Application for the transport corridor between Port of Rauma and Port of Gävle. The application means to improve Just-in-Time approach with a practical solution and increased shared situation awareness of the operations. Value added is behind the improved business cases of the stakeholders. Rauma & Gävle Port Activity Application has to be attractive to the point of economy and time efficiency, same as reducing environmental impact. Only by doing so, it could reach user quantities that are on the level of creating a meaningful impact on the overall pool of individual port activities.

Maritime pilots are local experts guiding the vessel through the congested fairways safely and efficiently to the port for loading and unloading of the cargo and passengers. Pilots are crucial for the safe and efficient conduction of maritime safety-critical operations, for which Port Activity App provides an up to date tool.

Vessel crew can download the Port Activity Application (PAA) as a smart phone application. A timestamp is representing activity in the sequel of actions when the vessel is closing to a port or departing from it. From the vessel crew perspective, the decision making, and related reporting activities are mostly related to the schedule of the vessel, as in, when is the vessel expected to arrive to port. This again reflects the adjustment of the vessel speed and maintaining awareness of effects to the schedule, and finally forwarding that information to whom it may concern. The crew has an import role to play to apply for a vessel specific slot time.

The development of the Port Activity application is definitely a prominent step forward on the port digitalization roadmap. From the view of managing the whole intermodal flow efficiently this is a good start and need to be extended to managing information flows with the hinterland and between ports connecting all the logistics operators handling the goods and other stakeholder including both shipping parties. Port Activity Application provides new data in the form of queuing system and recommended Time of Arrival. It gathers readily existing data and presents it in collated format under a single application. Certainly, even though the communication would be flawless, there will be some events in the logistics chain that could lead to unwanted outcomes.

The value which the Port Activity Application adds to the logistic chain mainly lies with the enhanced communication and contributes to long-lasting real hands-on changes in the functioning of the transport corridors and improve their digital maturity. Fintraffic VTS took ownership of the developed application in Finland in the future, and proves credibility of the application and secures the future evolvement of the application and port digitalization. The port application in Finland is already in use in more than sixteen ports and amount is increasing.

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