Wireless communication, identification and sensing technologies enabling integrated logistics: a study in the harbor environment

TL;DR

This paper reviews wireless communication, identification, and sensing technologies that support integrated logistics in harbor environments, highlighting current capabilities and future challenges for maritime container terminal systems.

Contribution

It provides a systematic overview of technologies for harbor logistics integration, addressing gaps in existing literature and suggesting future research directions.

Findings

Wireless tech enhances control and decision-making in harbor logistics.

Most systems are tailored to specific harbors, lacking general solutions.

Identifies future challenges for integrated harbor logistics systems.

Abstract

In the last decade, integrated logistics has become an important challenge in the development of wireless communication, identification and sensing technology, due to the growing complexity of logistics processes and the increasing demand for adapting systems to new requirements. The advancement of wireless technology provides a wide range of options for the maritime container terminals. Electronic devices employed in container terminals reduce the manual effort, facilitating timely information flow and enhancing control and quality of service and decision made. In this paper, we examine the technology that can be used to support integration in harbor's logistics. In the literature, most systems have been developed to address specific needs of particular harbors, but a systematic study is missing. The purpose is to provide an overview to the reader about which technology of integrated logistics can be implemented and what remains to be addressed in the future.