Smart Supply Chain Oriented Rail Freight Services – Smart-Rail

Smart-Rail has established the following objectives that are aligned with the requirements of the topic MG 2.2 and the various policy objectives:

• Introduce a wide set of innovative measures aiming to improve the freight rail services offered to the shippers, focusing on five key topics: reliability, lead time, costs, flexibility and visibility.
• Contribute to a mental-shift of the rail sector toward a client oriented and supply chain focus.
• Develop working business models for cooperation of different stakeholders.
• Develop a methodology and architecture for exchange of data/information required for the optimisation process, between stakeholders, making use of existing initiatives where available (for instance the European Corridor Management and national logistical information centres).
• Establish and maintain communication with the different levels of stakeholders
• Establish three Living Labs that each focus on different aspects and markets and implement the developed tools, methodologies and concepts. The purpose of the Living Labs is to test and improve the innovative measures in a real life situation. Specific and more dedicated business models, information systems and new rail services will be tested. The living labs to be implemented are:

1. Living Lab 1: Dedicated services; Wagonload trains.
2. Living Lab 2: Managing connectivity of rail with other modes; Control tower for long distance rail freight transport.
3. Living Lab 3: Reliability of rail and (unexpected) obstructions on the track; Betuwe route (Rotterdam-Genua corridor).

The final objective is to achieve broad and effective exploitation of the results of the project facilitated by a Smart Rail portal where all relevant information, data and tools can be exchanged and where stakeholders find each other and can share their experiences.