TELLIBOX - Intelligent Megaswapboxes for Advanced Intermodal Freight Transport
Overview
Background & policy context:
TelliBox – Intelligent MegaSwapBoxes for Advanced Intermodal Freight Transport was an EU funded project within the Seventh Framework Programme. It concerned the development of an all-purpose loading unit, the MegaSwapBox, which is applicable for intermodal transport of road, rail, inland- and short sea shipping. The MegaSwapBox will combine both the advantages of containers and semitrailers via a technical and efficiency feasibility analysis, to be finalised in concrete demonstrators.
Objectives:
The overall aim is to counteract the trend towards increasing freight transport by making better use of the different modes on their own and in combination with each other ('Co-modality'), offered in an integrated, safer, greener, smarter and competitive product.
The main distinctive characteristics of the MegaSwapBox are:
- stackability;
- inside height of 3 metres;
- length of 45';
- loading capacity of 100³;
- openable on 3 sites;
- top-handable;
- pilfer and theft-proof.
Research, innovation and the creation of a seamless oriented transport concept are crucial for the further development of intermodal transport systems. Modal shift and intermodal transport are encouraged, within the actual Framework Programme of the European Commission, through:
- the improvement of the efficiency of interfaces between modes;
- the maximisation of cargo capacity;
- the optimisation of logistics services, transportation flows, terminal and infrastructure capacity within European and global supply chains.
TelliBox is going to give a concrete answer to all those issues through a custom-oriented intermodal transport approach and by encouraging dialogue between industrial and scientific partners, gathered on a neutral European intermodal platform.
Methodology:
The project achieved its results by consecutive and planned phases during a three year period consisting of:
- solution space exploration (Analysis Phase);
- technical attractiveness and feasibility analysis (Decision Phase);
- design of three concepts (Design Phase);
- profitability and usability analysis (Evaluation);
- construction of prototypes of the MegaSwapBox and the chassis (Prototype Construction);
- demonstration phase on a defined intermodal corridor from Poland, via Germany and the Netherlands, to the United Kingdom using rail, inland- and short sea shipping as well as road transport (Demonstration Phase).
The prototypes were subject to an optimisation cycle in order to redesign and improve the prototypes. Each phase of the project will be managed under scientific evaluation methods and profitability calculations.
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