Performance evaluation of a tracking system for intermodal traffic: an experimentation in the Tyrrhenian area

Monitoring shipments along intermodal chains is crucial to ensuring the fast, reliable and secure transport of goods. In this regard, the paper describes the results of a real-life tracking experimentation carried out in June 2018 in the Tyrrhenian area with a twofold objective: 1) to evaluate the performance of a state-of-art tracking system to effectively monitor Ro-Ro freight units moving along intermodal chains; 2) to get an objective view of the intermodal chains currently connecting the two main Italian islands to the mainland. The experimentation was performed by means of a tracking device using the GSM network for data connection and geographical position detection. In addition, the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data were used to improve positioning during navigation. Quantitative analyses carried out on the recorded tracking data revealed that a significant share of the total transport time of the monitored transport chains is unproductive time that goods spend waiting at the port and logistics nodes. From a technical point of view, the experimentation raised several problems of the tracking technology employed vis-à-vis real-time tracking, continuous monitoring, signal coverage and positioning accuracy. A discussion of the main detected limitations is provided in the paper along with some possible solutions to overcome them.