Integrated ICT system for logistics: the case of the Italian region

Intermodal transport needs improvements in order to meet the freight transport demand. Information exchange and cooperation among stakeholders are essential to achieve this goal. This paper illustrates a feasibility study aiming to implement an ICT system for logistics in an Italian region, Friuli Venezia Giulia, in order to support intermodal transport connecting the regional stakeholders, in particular the infrastructure managers. The feasibility study includes an analysis of the stakeholders’ requests. It turns out that, although the stakeholders show interest for the system, their requirements are often minimal; moreover, they are unwilling to share information even with their customers. Their interest focuses on four topics: acquiring real time information from the infrastructures, managing hazardous materials, introducing use of electronic documents and sharing among transport operators tracking and tracing information. The feasibility study addresses each of these topics with a specific function. In particular, it is considered here the first function: acquiring real time information from the infrastructures. A case study from the port of Trieste is analyzed to investigate how the ICT system may smooth the logistics operations. A Petri net model is used to simulate the logistics operations and to evaluate their performances with and without sharing information.