Implementation of an IoT- and Cloud-based Digital Twin for Real-Time Decision Support in Port Operations

Abstract

Seaborne trade volumes are growing and the resulting traffic load on the road infrastructure in port areas calls for new solutions to improve handling and coordination of vehicles and shipments. In this contribution, a digital twin for truck dispatching operator assistance is presented, which enables the determination of optimal dispatching policies using simulation-based performance forecasts. Proprietary simulation software with limited interfaces, the application deployment in demanding industrial environments, and the integration of real-time sensor information represent three major challenges when realizing digital twin applications for logistics systems. This implementation, therefore, uses an extensible open-source simulation package and it is coupled with an IoT-platform for easy integration of real-time information. The digital twin is deployed as a cloud-based service, allowing for simple deployment and scalability.