Swedish technology company Semcon has announced it will be conducting a feasibility study to investigate how transport flows in the Port of Gävle can be made more efficient.
The company notes that the study will investigate how autonomous vehicles enable logistics processes to be automated, which reduces costs while also improving safety and quality. Gävle is one of Sweden’s largest ports and is run by operator Yilport. Semcon observes that, because ports, like mines and production facilities, are enclosed areas, they are ideal environments for automated solutions.
“We have been commissioned to map and analyze the benefits and values autonomous solutions could provide to Yilport for a specific logistics process. The feasibility study will focus on a single process, but the vision is to build a fully autonomous logistics production solution for Yilport, which is very exciting. Autonomous solutions not only optimize operational costs – they also contribute to improved safety, quality and traceability,” explained David Darwall, global business manager applied autonomy at Semcon.
The company says that the logistics process that will initially be investigated is the transport of containers by truck from container warehouses to the docks, where they are then lifted by crane onto ships. In the project, Semcon will map all parts of the process, costs, needs and challenges in order to understand the process in depth. A requirements specification, concept solution and business case will then be delivered to Yilport.
To assist in the project, Semcon says it is calling on its close partnership with Yeti Move, a software provider jointly owned by Semcon, Øveraasen and Husqvarna. which is providing a platform for controlling and monitoring autonomous operations.
Yilport is responsible for the operation of 22 ports across the globe that use the same process for moving containers, which means that there are substantial financial benefits to be gained by finding a solution that can be applied to all their production worldwide.
“For Yilport, it’s important to always be at the forefront of technological advances so that we can offer our customers effective solutions. Automation in ports is common, but no one has really come up with a solution to get it to work in conjunction with other traffic, and in this Semcon is at the cutting edge,” remarked Håkan Bergström, sales director Yilport, Nordic.