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The case studies are introduced in this study, highlighting freight transportation via road and road rail between satellite cities in Pakistan's Punjab and Sindh provinces. The case study analysis contributes to developing environmentally friendly and cost-effective transportation solutions and reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with road and intermodal freight transit. We developed a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to formulate the bi-objective problem, including real-life constraints, emissions at starting nodes, ending notes, and between the arc. In the mathematical model, the cost and emissions functions are developed to minimize the primary and secondary objective functions in the road and intermodal transportation. Furthermore, five distinct sets (locations, starting stations, ending stations, transport orders, and transport service) with parameters relating to container movement between the starting and ending nodes are a necessary part of the MILP formulation. The multiobjective optimization problem is solved by metaheuristic techniques such as the multiobjective genetic algorithm as the goal of applying a metaheuristic algorithm is to find the search space to search the near to optimized solutions. The Pareto front solutions are provided for balancing the costs and emissions of transporting supplies from Punjab to Sindh using the MATLAB solver toolbox. We gathered data from one of Pakistan's most well-known logistics service providers in the paper industry. According to the findings, intermodal transportation is 72% more cost-effective than road transportation. Additionally, by substituting intermodal transportation for road transportation, N2O, and CO2 emissions can be reduced by 74% and 57%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to evaluate the performance of industries in a growing economy like India through responsible resource use assessments. The article estimates ecological footprint (EF) to communicate the environmental effects of a paperboard and paper production unit in India based on information collected through face-to-face interview method. EF has been calculated by adopting component or bottom-up approach taking into consideration all the components of EF (land, energy, freight and employees transport, water, materials and wastes). Results show that the total EF for production and allied activities of the case study unit varies between 5,62,845 and 2,15,564 ha and EF per tonne of production varying between 23.61 and 9.03 ha. This is based on the production of 23,828 Mt of output of specialty and tissues paper, and the variation occurs due to higher and lower conversion factor for materials and water. The hotspots of EF are energy, materials and wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contract of carriage in road freight transport is regulated by the Convention on the Contract of Carriage in Road Freight Transport (CMR Convention). This Convention provides for a single accompanying document - the CMR consignment note. It is one of the most important documents in road freight transport. Since the adoption of the Convention, this paper document has accompanied the goods throughout the transport. Given that time goes on and everything is being modernized, digitized is no different in the case of a consignment note. In 2008, an Additional Protocol was adopted, which allows the use of an electronic consignment note instead of a paper consignment note. The aim of this paper is to analyze the most important document in road freight transport in its paper and electronic form. Another aim is to compare the paper and electronic consignment note, to explain the advantages of its introduction and also to explain why it is not widely used in modern times. The introduction to the article describes the benefits of adopting the CMR Convention. In the following chapters, the consignment note in paper and electronic form is described in more detail, their significance, and their course of use. The article also presents the main advantages of introducing an electronic consignment note and the reasons why the electronic consignment note is not used as much as paper consignment note. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the current trends in the literature on marine insurance by applying a bibliometric review of documents published in the Scopus database. This analysis was based on the most cited papers, most influential authors, countries, and organizations, as well as the most frequent keywords. In addition, qualitative content analysis was conducted. It reviewed 293 documents on marine insurance. Bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer, and qualitative content analysis was performed using WordStat. The results identify three major clusters: (1) risk assessment, (2) marine insurance, and (3) the insurance industry. This paper also presents recommendations for future research in this field. The findings of this study have implications for marine insurance, such as new developments to be implemented in the insurance industry to enhance its efficiency. This study is the first to review marine insurance publications that can be largely used for insurance practices. This study provides an overview of how the literature on marine insurance research has developed, as well as a summary of the most influential authors, along with countries, organizations, and journal sources. This offers an opportunity for future research to focus on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of being involved with the JTE from the beginning, and thought it would be worthwhile to look back and see how the journal has evolved over the years and possibly learn some lessons that can be useful for future directions.

Today, more than ever, our world is facing supply chain constraints that threaten the basics of current market dynamic on all levels and in every economic field. From economic sanctions limiting commercial trade, the COVID-19 crisis, post-pandemic economic stagnation, the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine, the global chip shortage, as well as the effects of the current Israeli- Palestinian war and its impact on freight transportation in the Red Sea have all exposed the vulnerability of today's global supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to review how supply chain must be designed to ensure their flow and deliverables in complex, uncertain, and everchanging environment. The paper will study how supply chains must be resilient by addressing current challenges through agility to meet both socio-economic and political volatilities, and sustainable through their transition to socio-ecological compliant economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to identify complementary strategies for urban freight logistics in a low emission zone (LEZ) that can be implemented in downtown Medellin, Colombia. The strategies will be executed by identifying the characteristics and problems of the business establishments in the area and the entrepreneurs’ opinions. Design/methodology/approach: First, a literature review is performed to identify global and complementary strategies for the future LEZ, which is the study subject. Then, a “pilot” zone (a main corridor) of downtown Medellín is selected, and the business establishments of the area are identified to spot problems and evaluate possible strategies for the future LEZ. This identification and evaluation phase is conducted by interviewing logistics managers in 105 establishments selected in the corridor for analysis. Findings: One of the outstanding findings concerns the specificity of the logistics and mobility problems in downtown Medellin, located in Colombia, a developing country. The main issues are traffic congestion, lack of regulation and control in loading and unloading areas, as well as inadequate infrastructure for these operations. These obstacles significantly impact business activities and air quality in the area. The proposed solutions to complement the LEZ strategy for freight transport focus on improving regulation, establishing specific loading and unloading areas, exploring sustainable transportation options such as the cargo bike, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. This emphasizes the situation’s complexity and the need for a comprehensive approach to address these logistical and environmental challenges. Originality/value: This study analyses urban freight logistics strategies that complement the traffic flow restriction policies imposed by low-emission zones. Unlike other studies that address these two issues independently, this paper specifically examines how to improve a LEZ as a comprehensive strategy to reduce the environmental impact of freight transport. In addition, it is noted that most publications tend to focus on passenger mobility strategies, which highlights the potential for research in the freight logistics field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology provides the capability to automate the collection of commercial vehicle drivers' hours of service (HOS), and this can potentially lead to fewer errors. This study compares the use of paper-based and automated (or electronically recorded) hours of service for three motor carriers using process analysis. Potential errors are categorized by operations within an information-based process, and results demonstrate that a reduction of errors can be achieved with an electronic system. The analysis shows that some of the errors that occur with paper-based systems (e.g., verification of accurate records) still exist with electronic recordings, and there are some additional minor errors. However, data collection, entry, and storage are improved, as the system requires fewer steps and less manual requirements within the process. The study provides a systematic and structured comparison of the two methods, highlighting the error types that occur in both. Policymakers can consider this comparison when making recommended revisions to HOS documentation procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics 4.0 is a recognised lever for improving efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in logistics processes. Of these, the increasingly complex area of transport plays a key role in companies, as it directly impacts costs and service level. This paper investigates how Logistics 4.0 affects the design and configuration of the transportation process, so that companies can exploit the related benefits and create value. Using a systematic literature review, this study provides a framework for Logistics 4.0 in transportation, which includes the process dimensions to be taken into account when designing such a process. A maturity model complements the framework, which presents the configuration options for each process dimension in an evolutionary path from low to high implementation level. This paper is original in that it takes a novel process perspective, crucial for supporting the implementation of Logistics 4.0 in transportation, and discusses the associated opportunities for companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the electric tricycle is to bring increased mobility to impaired persons. Presently, hand-powered tricycles are used by numerous members of the impaired community, but some current users of hand-powered tricycles do not have the physical strength or collaboration to propel themselves on the tricycle with their arms and hands. The aim of the proposed paper is to add electric power to the current hand-powered tricycle to provide tricycle users with improved mobility, providing them with more freedom and making a donation to the community. This paper develops an inclusive and cost-effective electric tricycle designed specifically for individuals with mobility challenges. The proposed tricycle is equipped with a 350-watt motor and has a cargo capacity of over 100 kg. Using IoT technology, the proposed system includes features similar to real-time position shadowing, on/off announcements through mobile and dispatch, and clear on/off suggestions. This innovative result addresses the unique requirements of hindered individuals, promoting availability, autonomy, and enhanced mobility in a socially conscious manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the application of K-means clustering algorithms to traditional aircraft conceptual-level weight estimation techniques. K-Means clustering was utilized as a means for statistical discovery within the dataset to explore potential paths for improved weight estimation using conceptual-level information. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, scope was limited to fuselage basic weight estimation. A variety of weight sources were parsed and curated to produce a large, diverse dataset consisting of 82 separate aircraft. A corresponding new universal fuselage basic weight regression was generated as a baseline for comparison. K-Means clustering was then employed to sort aircraft into groupings based on configuration and topology with an associated weight equation created for each grouping. Configuration-based groupings utilized information such as a high-level abstraction of the structural layout as well as whether the aircraft is a fixed-wing or rotary-wing vehicle. Topology-based groupings utilized information such as landing gear location and possession of a cargo ramp or wing. The configuration-based groupings showed modest improvement compared to the baseline regression which were in turn outperformed by the topology-based regressions across a range of data groupings. Under all conditions, a subset of the data associated with fixed-wing aircraft was shown to be an outlier in regard to error as a result of a large range of weight and speed scales, in addition to possible secondary pressurization impacts. Special treatment of the winged dataset led to further reduction in error based on unique design features. The weight estimation processes explored within this paper present a methodology that leverages machine learning algorithms that can improve and inform existing best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates how the adoption of emerging digital technologies can provide valuable business opportunities for logistics centres in maritime supply chains. For this purpose, a systematic literature review (SLR) of prior academic studies addressing this topic is performed. The review unveils the current lack of a comprehensive framework to assess the impact of digital technologies on transport and maritime logistics, bringing insights for a promising research agenda. The paper proposes an ad-hoc conceptual framework for disentangling relevant business opportunities which originates from the adoption of cutting-edge digital technologies for each type of logistics centres. The main business benefits for logistics infrastructures which manage cargo flows in maritime supply chains (MSCs) are identified and discussed. The results suggest alternative strategic options for innovating logistics chains and increase the competitiveness of various cargo logistics centres. Managerial and marketing implications for both academics and practitioners are discussed in-depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned logistics vehicle (ULV) realize the automation and intelligence of cargo transportation, which improves the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and safety of logistics and distribution, while the trajectory tracking control of ULV is the key technology to ensure their safe and efficient delivery of goods. In order to solve the trajectory tracking problem of ULV in the process of delivering goods, this paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC) method based on event-triggered and fuzzy adaptive optimization parameters. Firstly, the dynamics model of the ULV is established. Secondly, an event-triggered mechanism is introduced to establish ET-MPC, while a disturbance observer is designed considering the external disturbance and the controller calculation discarding the nonlinear term. Thirdly, the advantages of fuzzy control and MPC algorithms are integrated, and the four important parameters in the MPC controller are adaptively optimized by fuzzy control, and the improved MPC control strategy is designed. Finally, the CarSim-Matlab/Simulink co-simulation platform and the experimental vehicle platform are constructed to verify the effectiveness of the improved MPC trajectory tracking controller proposed in this paper. The results show that the improved MPC control strategy can reduce the computation time of the controller, and the total number of triggering times of the controller is reduced by 46.44% compared with the classical MPC, which reduces the computational complexity of the controller and improves the accuracy and smoothness of the trajectory tracking of the ULV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the usage of a numerical analysis model that enables the calculation of the life of railway wheels used for low-floor freight wagons as a function of its primary operating factors, which allows for carrying out sensitivity analyses. Low-floor wagons are being increasingly used for combined transport applications, and many types of bogies have been proposed to constitute the wagons. Due to the uniqueness of this type of wagon, the bogie configurations in terms of wheelbase and axle load have hardly been analyzed so far. The numerical analysis model used addresses the primary challenges that arise in the vehicle–track interaction and establishes the relations among them. The main aspects of this model have been described in this paper, which has been later used to calculate the life of an ordinary-diameter wheel for several wheelbase and axle load values. This study has been replicated with reduced-diameter wheels, which are commonly used for low-floor wagons. In this way, it is possible to know the evolution of the life depending on the wheelbase and the axle load. The observed behaviors are not so dissimilar for the different types of wheels, and they point out huge increases in wear as the axle load and the wheelbase rise, especially with axle load. The root causes can be explained by the entire understanding of the rolling phenomenon provided by the full analytical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correlation between economic development and road freight is demonstrated in the literature review provided in this paper. This relationship was studied in relation to the global gross domestic product (GDP) of the countries under review. Therefore, this paper presents the validation of this correlation in the Colombian case, based not only on global GDP, but also on the GDP for each of the main economic sectors of the country. The correlation was analyzed using several of the following statistical methods: correlation using the non-parametric method (Spearman), the causality relationship using the Granger test, the relationship between variables using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and multivariate correlation to establish the level of significance of each economic sector by means of the p-value. The study concludes that the best correlation is between the GDP of some economic sectors and the amount of freight transported one year later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, high-speed rail systems serve nearly 2 billion passenger-km daily. By virtue, they are a critical infrastructure like telecommunication and power networks. Accordingly, they become a catalyst for societal and economic growth stemming from the mobility business. The highspeed rail operations are very complex and interdependent, owing to the escalated demands for longdistance interconnected transportation. In recent years, there have been unreasonable delays for passengers as a new norm due to unfortunate train cancellations and relaxation of mobility performance requirements. Therefore, accurate measurements, monitoring and prediction of disruptive impacts and service performance metrices are indispensable. Within the scope of high-speed rail services, this paper examines how agent-based and multi-agent-based models are utilized to address such the challenges. Our findings reveal that the current use of agents or multi-agent models has some limitations for practical applications. Previous studies showed that mathematical methods to assess the resilience of critical infrastructures, railway scheduling, and vehicle dispatching can yield more satisfactory outcomes, although the approaches can be relatively time-consuming. In contrast, agent-based and multi-agent-based models can shorten processing time and uncover disruptive events more promptly. The paper thus showcases several emerging concepts, including i) the utilization of big data for crisis management, ii) interconnectivity analysis of high-speed rail infrastructures, and iii) enhancement of transport resilience. In addition, our findings identify the most influential agents and their possible applications to enhance systems resilience of highspeed rail networks when dealing with unforeseen physical and cyber threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the optimal operation of ocean container ships, this paper presents a two-level planning model that takes into account carbon tax policies. This model translates the CO2 emissions of ships into carbon tax costs and aims to minimize the overall operation costs of the ships. In top-level planning, the model considers factors such as speed, cargo load, and energy consumption to establish an objective function and optimization strategy. In bottom-level planning, the model involves ship stability and imposes corresponding constraints. By integrating the two levels of planning, a ship operation optimization model that considers multiple factors is obtained. With practical ocean container ships as cases, through numerical examples and sensitivity analysis, the constraint, stability, and structural feasibility of the constructed model are confirmed. The research results of this paper provide a decision-making basis for optimizing the operation of oceanic container ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart cities need energy-efficient and low-emission transportation for people and goods. Most studies focus on sustainable urban-transportation systems for passengers. Freight transportation in cities has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to greenhouse gases emissions and negative externalities, such as traffic congestion. The purpose of this paper is to identify through a systematic literature review which innovations (hardware and software) applied by logistics service providers (LSPs) in sustainable urban freight (SUF) are suitable to support the transition to energy-efficient smart cities. We propose to classify the existing innovations in last-mile delivery for SUF into categories: (1) urban freight consolidation and/or trans-shipment; (2) the Consumer as a Service Provider (CaaSP); (3) choice of transportation modes. We introduce the concept of CaaSP as an innovative solution in last-mile delivery (LMD), where customers take over some transport operations with the use of smart technologies, and thus reduce the energy demand. We consider the modes of transportation, such as: drones, autonomous delivery robots, autonomous vehicles, cargo bikes (including e-cargo bikes, e-tricycles), electric vehicles (mainly vans), and combined passenger-and-cargo transportation rapid-transit systems. From the analyzed dataset, we find that energy-efficiency in smart cities can be improved by the consolidation of parcels in micro-depots, parcel lockers, and mobile depots. We analyze smart technologies (the Internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins), which enable energy efficiency by reducing the energy demand (fuel) of SUF, due to better operational planning and infrastructure sharing by logistics service providers. We propose a new IEE matrix as an actionable tool for the classification of innovations applied by LSPs in SUF, according to the level of their interconnectivity and energy efficiency. Additionally, this paper contributes to the theory by exploring possible future research directions for SUF in energy-efficient smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Efficient city logistics is essential to build smart sustainable cities where inhabitants' well-being is a priority. Meanwhile, despite the great importance of city logistics processes, their improvement is problematic for many cities. Although solutions from the field of emerging technologies are more and more often used, the question is whether implementing technological tools and filling cities with sensors is a sufficient solution that can solve the problems of intensely growing urban freight transport. The aim of the paper is to examine the role of knowledge management in city logistics and identify barriers to the implementation of knowledge-based city logistics. A key element of the research procedure was an expert survey, to which 31 international experts specialising in city logistics issues were invited, characterised by extensive experience working on research projects in the area of interest. Four knowledge management processes have been transferred to the city logistics area. The results of the study show that the difficulties are observed mainly in the processes of data gathering and knowledge acquisition. The main reason for difficulties in that area is the reluctance of city users, retailers, transport and logistics operators to share information. Identifying these processes as the most problematic is a valuable hint for logistics managers, municipalities and academics. To improve knowledge-based city logistics, it is therefore necessary to focus on these processes and look for the best solutions and new forms of organisational and business support. The solution to the problems identified in the study is the proposal to create a city logistics collaborative knowledge base which is a combination of an IT tool ‐ the CL knowledge management platform, and the Freight Quality Partnership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime transport helps the development of the economy of countries. Improving the current situation in this type of transport requires the application of modern software tools for assessment, analysis and forecasting. The aim of this paper is to suggest an approach for an in-depth analysis of marine traffic near to independent ports. This approach is tested and validated for the Varna and Constanta ports for the period 2004–2021. Data from Eurostat are used. This paper proposes a new methodology for an in-depth analysis and forecasting of marine traffic of independent nearby ports using public data. Correlations, multiple regression, graphical methods, seasonality and trendlines are used to test and validate the proposed methodology. The results show that the proposed methodology may be applied for other independent ports and periods. The results show some interesting facts about the analyzed ports of Varna and Constanta. Our initial assumptions that these two independent ports have similar seasonality is rejected. The novelty of the paper refers to a new methodology for the in-depth analysis and forecasting of marine traffic of independent nearby ports using public data. Using the methodology in this paper (for an in-depth analysis of marine traffic of independent nearby ports) similar research may be done for other nearby ports and periods. Other research may focus on finding the specific types of cargo for each port influencing the differences in seasonality. Nearby ports with separate management may use the proposed methodology for better cargo planning and investment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Airfreight transport refers to the shipment of goods by air from one location to another and is often perceived as a contributor to global carbon emissions. The environmental impacts associated with airfreight are of notable and genuine concern. Such concerns have often led to calls for measures to ban or limit air freight as a mode of transportation for goods. Whilst the majority of these calls are perceived to be well placed, it is nevertheless essential to acknowledge the climate justice implications associated with such measures, particularly in the context of perishable products like fresh produce. Methods: The aim of this study is to thoroughly examine the socioeconomic implications of banning air-freighted fresh produce and to recommend practices that can minimize the environmental impacts. Utilizing Blue Skies Holdings Ltd., Pitsford, UK as a case study, this paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the potential climate justice ramifications associated with the prohibition of air-freighted fresh produce. Results: The analysis highlights the intricate interplay between the environmental and socioeconomic dimensions of the issue. By investigating the carbon emissions attributed to aviation and air logistics in particular and meticulously scrutinizing the possible consequences of an airfreight ban in relation to vulnerable communities within developing economies that are heavily reliant on fresh produce exports, the study contributes insights to guide policy discourse and the decision-making processes within commercial entities with respect to their carbon emissions reduction strategies. Conclusions: Accordingly, this study provides a number of recommendations for various actors, particularly commercial stakeholders, who deal with air-freighted fresh produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of poor delivery schedules is one of the logistical problems that much more companies face than we should think at the first glance. But many companies may not realize this without the use of lean tools. This paper describes the role of procurement and supply management in dealing with a site scheduling problem, covering the concepts, history, responsibilities, sub-roles, and types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Cyclic Production Routing Problem (CPRP). The CPRP is an extension of the well-known NP-hard Production Routing Problem (PRP), which is a hard-to-solve combinatorial optimisation problem with numerous practical applications in the field of freight transportation, logistics and supply chain management. Under the PRP setting, a manufacturer is responsible for determining production decisions, as well as the timing and quantity of replenishment services offered to a set of geographically dispersed customers over a multi-period time horizon. The problem calls for jointly optimising the production, inventory, distribution and routing decisions. In this paper, the basic PRP model is modified to generate repeatable cyclic production and delivery schedules. A two-commodity flow formulation is proposed along with valid inequalities. Extensive comparisons between the basic PRP and the proposed cyclic variant on well-known benchmark instances are provided. The new variant is significantly harder to solve, especially when the vehicle fleet is limited. From a managerial perspective, the generation of cyclic production-routing schedules significantly increases all costs, whereas the number of vehicle routes required to implement a cyclic schedule is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation, elimination of trade barriers, lower tariffs, and industrial revolutions along with technological advancement, have changed the way for freight transportation. This Special Issue on I Modelling and Analysis of sustainable freight transportation i covers all aspects of design and analysis of freight transportation model in supply chains decision-making, such as: We extracted the 10,000 papers using Scopus API since 1991-2018 using three keywords: "freight transportation", "sustainable transportation", and "sustainable freight transportation". This special issue focused on modelling and analysis of sustainable freight transportation to address various issues such as vehicle routing, intermodal transportation, reverse logistics, and green supply chains. [Extracted from the article]

Transportation is the key carbon emission source after energy supply and industrial production. Under the vision of carbon peak and carbon neutralization, the pressure of reducing carbon emissions in transportation will be greater in the future. This paper constructs a model that takes transportation carbon emission as the main target and freight transportation utility value as the auxiliary target. The constructed model satisfies the constraints of freight turnover in the whole society, freight economic and social benefits, and the ecological constraints of the freight system. With MATLAB, the freight turnover of roadways, railways, and waterways (excluding ocean transportation) in 2030 is solved by using the adaptive genetic algorithm. The results indicate that (I) compared with the current freight structure of China, the roadway freight sharing rate in 2030 will decrease by 8.07%, and the railway freight sharing rate and the waterway freight sharing rate (excluding ocean transportation) will increase by 0.93% and 7.13%, respectively. (II) After optimization, the energy consumption and carbon emission are reduced by 42,471,500 tons (10.3%) and 91,379,400 tons (10.2%) of standard coal, respectively. (III) The adaptive genetic algorithm outperforms the traditional genetic algorithm in terms of convergence speed and accuracy. (IV) As the weight coefficient of carbon emission increases, the utility value of freight transportation consistently decreases, and the sensitivity increases. Meanwhile, as the carbon emission weight coefficient increases, carbon emission keeps decreasing, and the sensitivity decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the port domain, quayside container cranes are an indispensable component of maritime freight transport. These cranes are not only costly but also associated with safety accidents that often result in casualties and property loss, severely impacting port operations and the surrounding environment. Given their complex operational environment, rapid technological updates, high dependency on human factors, and the challenges of maintenance and inspection, the safety of quayside container cranes is a significant concern for port enterprises and managers. This paper, based on the operational modes and structural characteristics of the cranes, divides them into five main systems and identifies twenty-eight safety evaluation indicators, covering a comprehensive range of risk factors from equipment integrity to operator behavior, as well as environmental factors. However, numerous pain points exist in the safety risk evaluation process of quayside container cranes, such as fuzziness, uncertainty, and complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) environments. These issues make traditional safety evaluation methods inadequate in accurately reflecting the actual safety conditions. Therefore, this paper proposes a safety evaluation method for quayside container cranes based on the Best–Worst Method (BWM) and Pythagorean hesitant fuzzy VIKOR. This method effectively overcomes the uncertainties and fuzziness of traditional safety evaluation methods by integrating the decision maker's preference information from the BWM and the fuzzy handling capability of Pythagorean hesitant fuzzy sets, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the evaluation results. A case study was conducted on a quayside container crane at a specific port. Through empirical analysis, the feasibility of the proposed method was validated. Overall, the safety evaluation method for quayside container cranes based on the BWM and Pythagorean hesitant fuzzy VIKOR proposed in this paper enriches the theoretical research on the safety risk assessment of quayside container cranes and offers a new approach and tool for port enterprises and managers in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automobile cable systems for loading and unloading operations between the vehicle-support and vehicle-vehicle points are presented in this paper. The scheme of the automobile mobile cable system is based on a two-cable cableway. Based on this scheme, the parameters of the movement of goods by automobile cable systems are substantiated at variable parameters: mass m artificial loads together with the mass of the frame structure: 35 ≤ m ≤ 95 (kg); the angle of inclination α pairs of parallel ropes to the horizon: 10 ≤ α ≤ 15 (°); tension force ropes 2400 ≤ TD ≤ 5000 (N). It has been established that the dominant effect on the minimum time T has angle α, then mass m and tension forces TD ropes. At the same time, it is worth noting that the range of discrepancy of the quantities T values, when the above factors change, is insignificant and is close to 5,7% for (m/α) and 6,6% for (TD/α). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The processes of transport decarbonisation are complicated. In this paper, we adopt the Activity-Modal Share-Energy Intensity-Carbon Intensity of Fuel (ASIF) approach and propose a conceptual framework on the direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 on transport CO2 emissions. In the Chinese context, changes of carbon emissions associated with passenger and freight transport (including urban, rural, and inter-city transport) across different transport modes are estimated. Scenario analysis is then used to estimate the impact of COVID-19 on total transport carbon emissions up to 2030. Four scenarios, from minimal to significant behavioural changes and global recession associated with COVID-19, are generated. Results: Under the pandemic, the transport system in China was estimated to have produced 28% less CO2 emissions (1044.2 Mt) in 2020, when compared to 2019. Compared with the business-as-usual scenario, the estimated total transport carbon emissions in 2030 would drop by 6%, 15%, and 21% and 23% under the minimal-impact, low-impact, moderate-impact, and severe-impact scenarios, respectively. Conclusions: The results suggest that the processes triggered by COVID-19 alone will not be sufficient to meet the ambitious transport decarbonisation targets. To meet China's pledge under the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, the medium-term effects of COVID-19 must be combined with strong transport decarbonisation measures of modal shift and new energy applications. With these additional measures, it may be possible to advance the transport carbon peak before 2030. Lessons are relevant to other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The real-time dynamic coupling under the virtual-coupling technology guarantees running multi-group trains in different sections based on passenger flow's spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. It enables more flexible transport organization modes such as full-length and short-turn routing and the express/local stop mode. Utilizing the redundant capacity of the airport line to carry out coordinated transportation of passengers and goods is an essential means of relieving urban traffic pressure, saving energy, and protecting the environment. To promote urban rail transit to achieve the goal of "double-carbon," the optimization of passenger and freight cooperative transport schemes based on the virtual coupling technology for the airport line of the rail transit is investigated. Based on the train operation of full-length and short-turn routing under the virtual-coupling technology, according to the unbalanced distribution characteristics of passenger and freight flows in urban rail transit, this paper constructs an optimization model of urban rail transit capacity allocation to minimize passenger travel costs, enterprise operation costs, and carbon emission costs, and considering the constraints of the carbon emission policy, with the constraints such as the train operation safety, the constraints of the balance of the passenger flow and freight flow loading. The multi-objective model to solve the optimization problem has been designed. Given the complexity of the multi-objective model solution, an improved nondominated sorting genetic algorithm is designed, and the algorithm makes use of the screening function of the constraints during the initial population generation process, which effectively balances the relationship between the whole process of screening and time-consumption of the NSGA-II algorithm. Taking Wuxi Metro Line 3 as an example, the results show that: (i) Compared with the traditionally large and small crossing mode, full-length and short-turn routing of virtual coupling Trains proposed in this paper can reduce the average waiting time of passengers by about 2.01min, the cost of carbon emission by 15.7% and the cost of enterprise operation by 20.2%, and at the same time, improve the average total rate by about 50%, which verifies that the virtual formation technology is conducive to improving the efficiency of passenger travel and reducing the operating cost and the carbon cost. It is also beneficial for improving passenger traveling efficiency. (ii)The single-alignment fixed configuration mode, compared with the single-flow mode, can increase the average full-load rate by 26.6% while increasing the passenger travel cost by only 0.98% and reducing the carbon emission cost by a small margin; the virtual configuration technology based-on the large and smallalignment operation and transport scheme increases the passenger travel cost by about 0.3% and further reduces the carbon emission cost by 1.9%. They further reduced the carbon emission cost by 1.9% while increasing the average total occupancy rate by about 5.8%. The proposed models and algorithms provide some decision support for urban rail transit operators to optimize transport schemes under different carbon emission policies and the virtual coupling operation mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research germinates from the statement that cities need to solve the impacts caused by freight transport to improve their sustainability by implementing a set of city logistic measures. Urban freight distribution through environmentally friendly vehicle measures is one of the main sustainable actions being implemented worldwide, with a significant potential to reduce the congestion and pollution levels according to the assessment performed around the world. In this context, this paper aims to explore the use of railways for urban freight transport and then focuses on the potential of shifting from a road to railway system, which uses an advanced demand modelling framework specified and calibrated according to the results of surveys carried out in the study area. Subsequently, the potential benefits of introducing this urban freight transport through the metro system in Rome (Italy) are investigated, showing significant positive effects, both in terms of operational and external costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of urban logistics, optimizing vehicle routes for varied cargo types—including refrigerated, fragile, and standard cargo—poses significant challenges amid complex urban infrastructures and heterogeneous vehicle capacities. This research paper introduces a novel model for the multi-type capacitated vehicle routing problem (MT-CVRP) that harnesses an advanced ant colony optimization algorithm, dubbed Lévy-EGACO. This algorithm integrates Lévy flights and elitist guiding principles, enhancing search efficacy and pheromone update processes. The primary objective of this study is to minimize overall transportation costs while optimizing the efficiency of intricate route planning for vehicles with diverse load capacities. Through rigorous simulation experiments, we corroborated the validity of the proposed model and the effectiveness of the Lévy-EGACO algorithm in optimizing urban cargo transportation routes. Lévy-EGACO demonstrated a consistent reduction in transportation costs, ranging from 1.8% to 2.5% compared to other algorithms, across different test scenarios following base data modifications. These findings reveal that Lévy-EGACO substantially improves route optimization, presenting a robust solution to the challenges of MT-CVRP within urban logistics frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railways play a pivotal role in national economic development, freight transportation, national defense, and regional connectivity. The detection of rolling contact fatigue (RCF) defects in rail tracks is essential for railway safety and maintenance. Due to its efficiency and non-contact capability in detecting surface and near-surface defects, Eddy Current Pulsed Thermography (ECPT) has garnered significant attention from researchers. However, detecting multi-layer RCF defects remains a challenge. This paper introduces a sweeping Eddy Current Pulsed Thermal-Tomography system (ECPTT) to detect multi-layer RCF defects effectively. This system utilizes varying excitation frequencies to heat defects, altering skin depth and facilitating feature extraction to distinguish multi-layer RCF defects. Skewness and thermographic signal reconstruction (TSR) values are employed as features in the experiments. These features are qualitatively analyzed to differentiate the layers and depths of multi-layer RCF defects. Additionally, five different coils were compared and analyzed quantitatively. The results indicate that the ECPTT system can effectively detect and distinguish multi-layer RCF defects, thereby providing more detailed defect information and enhancing railway safety and maintenance efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As automotive technology advances in the realm of digitization, vehicles are becoming smarter and, at the same time, more vulnerable to various threats. This paper focuses on techniques for detecting faults to mitigate the risk of freight transportation. Our observations show that vehicle uptime varies significantly even under similar operating conditions. This variation stems from differences in the wear and tear of moving and stationary parts, the characteristics of transported loads, driving styles, the quality of maintenance, etc. These factors are particularly crucial for abnormal vehicles designed to carry AILs (Abnormal Indivisible Loads). Such vehicles are especially prone to surprising threats, requiring efficient techniques for monitoring separate vehicle components and providing drivers with vital information about their operational status. The presented article proposes an original concept of an integrated three-level monitoring system based on the AOP (All-in-One Platform) principle, using the DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) algorithm, which is a tool oriented to distinguish points from three categories: basic, boundary, and external. This is a solution not yet found in the literature. It is based on assessments of LOFs (Local Outlier Factors) and to detect anomalies in the measured values of operational parameters. The purpose of our study was to determine whether providing truck drivers with current information from an active threat warning system could help reduce unplanned downtimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid increase in e‐commerce and the emergence of combined passenger/freight systems in urban areas have raised the question of how best to integrate public transport services into door‐to‐door deliveries. This paper develops a variant of the pickup and delivery problem, called the two‐echelon pickup and delivery problem using public transport (2E‐PDP‐PT). In the 2E‐PDP‐PT, the transportation network is split into two echelons. Different vehicles are utilized across the first and second echelons to ensure distribution efficiency. Parcels are delivered by public transport with free capacity or via trucks between satellites in the first echelon, and logistics vehicles are operated in the second echelon. The satellites are located at the echelon borders to transfer commodities between echelons. The 2E‐PDP‐PT aims to minimize total delivery costs and improve public transport capacity utilization. We formulate a new mathematical model based on a space‐time network and adopt an adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) algorithm for the 2E‐PDP‐PT. The effectiveness of the ALNS algorithm is validated using newly generated small‐scale instances. Furthermore, we investigate large‐scale instances based on the Beijing Yizhuang transportation network. The computations show that an average total delivery cost savings of 4.5% is feasible. In addition, we analyze the impact of demand distributions and compare the ALNS algorithm and the LNS algorithm. Finally, we conclude that dynamically integrating public transport into freight transport services can benefit both logistics companies and public transport operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logistics transportation system is critical to the United States economy. Underground Logistics Transportation (ULT) is a class of automated transportation systems in which vehicles carry freight through pipelines and tunnels between terminals. Being able to use a part of the underground space of existing highways will greatly facilitate the construction of such pipelines and tunnels and reduce their construction costs. Underground Logistics Transportation (ULT) could be the answer to make freight transport more sustainable and competitive. Texas highways and railroads are expected to increase by nearly 207% from 2003 to 2030. Truck tonnage will grow by 251%, while rail tonnage is forecasted to increase 118%. The number of trucks carrying NAFTA goods will increase by 263%, and the number of rail units will grow by 195%. This will have a profound impact on the highway and rail systems. The objective of this paper is to present requirements and operational components for three types of ULT lines: standard shipping containers, a standard crate size, and a standard pallet size. This study examines the use of ULT as a mode of underground transportation with the help of three case studies. This research shows that ULT is financially viable, feasible, greener, cost effective, and can become an important part of intermodal freight mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid identification and localization of dry bulk cargo hoppers are currently core issues in the automation control of gantry cranes at dry bulk terminals. The current conventional method relies on LiDAR systems for the identification and positioning of bulk unloading hoppers. However, this approach is complex and costly. In contrast, GPS-based positioning solutions for bulk unloading hoppers are prone to damage due to the vibrations generated during the operation process. Therefore, in this paper, a hopper localization system based on monocular camera vision is proposed to locate the position of the bulk unloading hopper. The hopper identification and localization process are divided into three stages. The first stage uses the improved YOLOv5 model to quickly and roughly locate the hopper target. The second stage uses morphological geometrical features to locate the corner points of the hopper target. The third stage determines the three-dimensional coordinates of the hopper target by solving the position of the corner points in the world coordinate system through the PnP (Perspective-n-Point) algorithm. The experimental results show that the average positioning accuracy of the coordinates of the method is above 93%, demonstrating the accuracy and effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research paper that provides a critical review of the first ten years of the Great Britain Government's "transport key performance indicator (KPI)" programme which benchmarks the efficiency of road freight operations. The paper reviewed data from nine benchmarking surveys and combined it with programme's implementation to assess the general approach. The findings of the research indicates that implementation of benchmarking programme in government policy in increasing awareness of best practice in freight transport and potentialefficiency gains.

Transportation is a broad multidisciplinary science concerned with the study of transportation network design, vehicle application engineering, as well as transportation operations and management. Due to the breadth of the topic and the increasing complexity of the decision processes involved in managing transportation operations, transportation has become a fertile field of study for operations research. Inspired by this, we have compiled this special issue of the Annals of Operations Research comprising of 24 new research contributions and two systematic literature reviews supporting and categorizing the current state of transportation research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper systematically evaluates the existing literature of innovations in freight transport, including all modes, to uncover the key research themes and methodologies employed by researchers to study innovations and their implications in this industry. It analyses the role of transport and the impact of innovations during crises, such as COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the innovations in freight transport unravels the pre-requisites of such endeavours in achieving a resilient and sustainable transport network that effectively and efficiently operates during a crisis. The authors performed keyword co-occurrence network (KCON) analysis and research focus parallelship network (RFPN) analysis using BibExcel and Gephi to determine the major resulting research streams in freight transport. Findings: The RFPN identified five emerging themes: transport operations, technological innovation, transport economics, transport policy and resilience and disaster management. Optimisation and simulation techniques, and more recently, artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) approaches, have been used to model and solve freight transport problems. Automation innovations have also penetrated freight and supply chains. Information and communication technology (ICT)-based innovations have also been found to be effective in building resilient supply chains. Research limitations/implications: Given the growth of e-commerce during COVID-19 and the resulting logistics demand, along with the need for transporting food and medical emergency products, the role of automation, optimisation, monitoring systems and risk management in the transport industry has become more salient. Transport companies need to improve their operational efficiency using innovative technologies and data science for informed decision-making. Originality/value: This paper advises researchers and practitioners involved in freight transport and innovation about main directions and gaps in the field through an integrated approach for evaluating research undertaken in the area. This paper also highlights the role of crisis, e.g. COVID-19, and its impacts on freight transport. Major contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) a qualitative and quantitative, systematic and effective assessment of the literature on freight transport through a network analysis of keywords supplemented by a review of the text of 148 papers; (2) unravelling major research areas; (3) identifying innovations in freight transport and their classification as technological and non-technological and (4) investigating the impact of crises and disruptions in freight transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]