EMAR. D3.2 Transport Logistics e-Maritime Solutions

Abstract

One of the three areas of eMAR Business Applications is the Transport and Logistics. eMAR investigates interfacing transport logistics applications with the eMAR software platform to develop EU corridors by providing enhanced e-Maritime services that will improve efficiency and service quality along the corridor. Long distance multimodal transport chains are significantly influenced by their maritime elements in terms of sea legs and related nodes (ports) both as short Sea Shipping and intercontinental transport. The shipping companies gradually dominate transport chain management while the ports constitute major gateways to the hinterland substantially involved in the efficient and secure transfer of cargo to/from the cargo owners. The two main players, ship owners and ports, operate separately (with their own strategies and operational plans) and in isolation from other transport modes preventing proper integration of shipping services in the "door to door" logistic chains.. Often different stakeholder groups appear to act in isolation from each other according to their own restricted agendas prolonging a culture of intermediaries to carry out tasks which can be easily automated with modern information and communication technologies (ICT). Considering the broader list of stakeholders involved in multimodal transport chains (e.g. ship-agents, charterers, freight forwarders, cargo-owners etc) the situation becomes more complicated.