Christian Lorenz
Press Officer
Telephone 0221 / 390 11 90
E-mail lorenzc(at)hgk.de
Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG
Press Office
Am Niehler Hafen 2
50735 Cologne
The Niehl harbour in Cologne becomes a digital testing ground
Cologne. Digital offensive on the Rhine: HGK AG is equipping the combined transport terminals at the Niehl harbour in Cologne with digital infrastructure in order to test innovative logistics solutions. In future, this digital test field will be used to autonomously record and process all types of goods flows using artificial intelligence, making them more efficient.
In future, intelligent technology will be used to automatically record loading units and read their relevant information - regardless of whether they arrive at the port by ship, rail or lorry. The AI-supported system and the information it generates will increase efficiency in handling, reduce the workload on staff and make standardised transport data more easily accessible. The project will also serve as a blueprint for other locations. "The installation of the digital test field is an important milestone on HGK AG's journey into the digital future, in which logistics processes are continuously optimised and accelerated," says HGK COO Dr Jens-Albert Oppel, explaining the measure.
The autonomous AI-based technology can independently record and process information from vehicles and loading units. A central data platform and corresponding interfaces can be used to synchronise the information of the loading units at the entrance and exit of the terminals directly and in real time across all three modes of transport. Against the background of the acute shortage of skilled labour, this can improve working conditions and reduce costs.
The standardised recording, consolidation and combination of information will make it possible, for example, to shorten lay times for inland waterway vessels and idle times for trains at the terminal. This will make the more sustainable modes of transport of waterway and rail more attractive than road transport in the so-called modal split, which in turn will lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions. HGK will enable the connection of external partners, such as research institutions and logistics service providers, to the system via appropriate interfaces. In this way, upstream and downstream logistics processes can be directly integrated.