Cargo handling by Automated Next generation Transportation Systems for ports and terminals
Euromax Terminal Rotterdam with AGVs in operation
Cargo-ANTs aims to create smart Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Automated Trucks (ATs) that can co-operate in shared workspaces for efficientand safe freight transportation in main ports and freight terminals.
- Duration: Sept 2013 – Sept 2016
- Total budget: 3,9 Mill. €
- EU Contribution: 2,5 Mill. €
- Programme: FP7-TRANSPORT
The project builds on an active dialog with customers, workforce and authorities to maximize acceptance and exploitation of the project results.
Objectives:
- Increase performance and throughput of freight transportation in main ports and freight terminals and maintain a high level of safety
- Develop an automated shared work yard for intelligent AGVs and highly automated trucks
- Develop and demonstrate planning, decision, control and safety strategies for automated vehicles
- Develop and demonstrate an environmental perception system and a grid-independent positioning system
Research questions:
- Which combination of positioning techniques and sensors allow for reliable and accurate positioning in view of the proposed applications?
- How can reliable environmental perception be achieved, i.e. moving and stationary object detection, drivable path detection, docking point detection, absolute and relative object positioning?
- How to set-up and integrate a vehicle control system, including high-level site planning, path planning, interaction planning and feedback control?
- How can functional safety of automated vehicles be achieved?
