D-ICE is a French SME working on technological solutions to diminish the impact of boats on the environment.

The company is based in Nantes, with a team of 26 people, and operates in the fields of routing, clean energy and safety at sea. D-ICE assists ship owners and operators to find solutions to diminish their impact on the environment. In particular, they work on assessing the interest of adding wind-assisted ship propulsion systems onboard merchant ships.

The challenge

More than 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to ocean-going vessels, which is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from over 205 million cars. Moreover, boats powered by fuel also cause noise pollution that negatively affects marine life.

The carbon dioxide emissions of ships are directly proportional to fuel consumption and speed. To reduce their environmental impact and to align with the objectives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the shipping industry is looking for solutions to reduce fuel consumption by using wind-assisted propulsion systems.

D-ICE decided to create systems to help ship operators to assess the interest of adding wind-assisted ship propulsion systems onboard their ships.

The satellite solution

Since 2020, D-ICE developed the SATORI software, an online service that estimates the fuel consumption of ships on specific routes. SATORI is particularly interesting to evaluate the performances of wind-assisted ship propulsion systems.

Initially funded by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), SATORI relies on data from Copernicus satellites to acquire information on weather, wind, waves and sea currents on sea routes. Those historical data are made freely available by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service through two products: the Global Waves Reanalysis Waverys and the Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis.

The data are used to calculate ships’ motions and interactions with the environment. Indeed, the evaluation of wind, waves and currents is necessary for the model to calculate the speed of ships and their engine power between two points at a specific time.

The results

SATORI is built for shipowners, naval architects and providers of propulsion systems. Customers access SATORI through a web portal, where they can enter the ships’ data and their potential speed according to different directions and winds.

Users can perform statistical weather routing studies on the online interface, choose a route and the time periods on which they wish to assess the ships’ average consumption, and then create their own data visualisation to obtain the required forecasts (environmental conditions to be encountered, fuel saving associated with wind-assisted propulsion, ship motions).

SATORI has been already used by some notable skippers. For example, Total and Z&B are today using the software on some of their ships, while AYRO and Chantiers de l’Atlantique rely on it to design wind-assisted ship propulsion systems.

The same algorithm which powers SATORI was used to perform a study for the design team of the new Banque Populaire trimaran after their boat capsized during the Route du Rhum yacht race in 2018.

In 2021, the boat Maître Coq won the greatest sailing race around the world, solo, non-stop and without assistance: the Vendée Globe. D-ICE provided the skipper, Yannick Bestaven, with a software that contained a database of historical routes.

This database was computed with the same algorithm as SATORI. This tool helped him to confirm his routes’ choices and to eventually win the race.

“Thanks to this new technology, the shipping community can now validate business models around the new targets of the International Maritime Organization and take action to reduce greenhouse gases emissions globally”. Sylvain Faguet, D-ICE
Engineering.

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The Lyon public transport network Transports en Commun Lyonnais (TCL) is managed by the public transport authority SYTRAL. Its task is to build and set up the agglomeration’s transport policy, carry out investments, determine pricing policy and adapt the transport offer in the Rhône and Lyon region in France.

The Challenge

As the number of people living in cities is growing, local authorities fear a rise in the number of vehicles and pollution. To respond to the increasing urban congestion, cities are exploring smarter and greener mobility solutions. One of the main challenges to encourage the use of public transport, is to bridge gaps at the edges of existing transit systems. This challenge is also known as “the first and last kilometre”. It represents the distance from a specific starting point to a transport network, or the distance remaining from a transport network to a final destination.

Lyon’s public transport network is the second largest in France. Nevertheless, in some areas of the city, commuters still face the first and last kilometre barrier. For example, the large majority of those working in the Gaulnes business park still prefer to use the car, while only 15% rely on public transport. To face this challenge, rather than increasing the number of traditional bus lines, the city decided to expand the coverage of the existing infrastructure.

Lyon has a strong history of innovation in public transport, starting in 1862 with the introduction of the first funicular railway. This innovative mindset led SYTRAL to contact the Keolis Group and NAVYA, a company based in Lyon that specialises in autonomous electric shuttles. The driverless shuttles offer a cost-effective way to encourage the use of public transport.

To be guided safely through the trafficked streets of Lyon, all the shuttles have a GNSS antenna. Thanks to satellite navigation, the position of a vehicle is constantly monitored by the control centre. Moreover, to ensure constant monitoring of the buses also where the satellite connection is interrupted, the vehicles are equipped with additional guidance and detection systems such as cameras and sensors.

In September 2016, Lyon launched its very first autonomous shuttle service named NAVLY in the Confluence district, complementing an urban renewal project overlooking the Saône River. The NAVLY shuttles, running at an average speed of 15 km/h, make five stops on a public route of 1.3 km. The vehicles are freely accessible, carry up to 15 passengers at a time and circulate regularly every day. For the moment, an operator is present on the bus. To know the position of the shuttles in real time and to consult the schedule, an application called “NAVLY” is available for free.

In March 2019, another autonomous shuttle line was added. The Mobilité Intelligente & Autonome (MIA) service connects the offices in the Gaulnes business park with the nearby tram station. This 2.4 kilometre route, which includes three stops, runs during rush hours and at lunch time. The objective is to offer an alternative to the car and encourage the use of public transport for those working in the area. A third line, N1, was launched in November 2019: two more autonomous shuttles provide a regular service between the Décines Grand Large tram station and the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium.

The results

The autonomous shuttles offer a cost-effective response to the challenges of urban mobility, in addition to conventional means of public transportation. Overall, the autonomous shuttles in Lyon have been used by over 70 000 passengers to date, while the N1 shuttles transport an average of 80 passengers every day. These first and last kilometre services mark the first wave of autonomous vehicle adoption in the city. This project is part of the EU-funded project Autonomous Vehicles to Evolve to New Urban Experience (AVENUE), and more autonomous vehicles will be deployed in other European cities in the future. Local transport in rural areas, or on specific sites such as university campuses and hospitals, can benefit from this smart mobility service as well.

Bane NOR is a state-owned company responsible for the Norwegian national railway infrastructure. It owns most railway lines, platforms, waiting areas and stations, stretching 4 209 kilometres across the country.

The company is responsible for the planning, development, administration, operation and maintenance of the national railway network. Its responsibilities also include traffic management and developing more efficient solutions for its operations. It employs approximately 4000 employees, divided between five divisions with different responsibilities.

The challenge

As a result, Bane NOR who operates the railway needs to be informed quickly of any land subsidence or other occurrences that affect their tracks. Furthermore, the method needs to be cheap enough to cover the entire lengths of Norway efficiently.

The position of the railway track is subject to change due to geological changes in the landscape, temperature variations, and the physical forces of train traffic. Over time, these changes may cause reduced comfort for passengers or danger for trains in extreme situations.

The satellite solution

Track geometry is measured periodically up to six times per year. This is done with a unique measuring car (ROGER 1000) with optical lasers, gyroscopes, inclinometers, accelerometers, and cameras. The position of ROGER 1000 along the track is measured both by an odometer and satellite navigation.

The instruments are used to detect anomalies in the shape or position of the track. Observations are then logged together with their respective geo-positions using satellite navigation. Thus, the workforce tasked with inspecting and repairing the railway knows where to go.

 

Precise measurements are made manually by inspectors. Traditionally, these measurements have been done with reference to fixed points on the ground within line-of-sight of the railway. However, installing reference points along more than 4 000 kilometres of railway is very expensive. This is especially true in Norway where large parts of the railway are without electricity lines. Building a supportive infrastructure to support all areas would cost hundreds of millions.

In 2015 Bane NOR therefore began testing the satellite based Real Time Kinematic (RTK) method for tracking track positioning. This technique makes use of reference points from base stations for satellite signals rather than metal bolts in rock or concrete. These stations are run by the Norwegian mapping agency, reducing the need for infrastructure investments.

The result

Thanks to satellite navigation, Bane NOR can more efficiently deploy its maintenance workforce. This helps reduce costs while also making the workflow more convenient. The new method relying on RTK has so far provided reliable results with a standard deviation within the present technical requirements. The method is also cheaper for the administration to run and removes the need for large investments in areas without an electricity grid.

Lastly, the new technique has also proved to be more reliable. Since the alternative measuring units are installed on trees or on the ground along the railway, geological changes may alter their relative position to the railway. These measuring units will then incorrectly report a change of the railway itself, when it is instead the measuring units that have moved. With thousands of such sensors along the railway, the likelihood of an error is quite large. The satellite based solution solves this problem.

Satellites help Bane NOR keep track of the track more efficiently

 – Per Anton Fevang, BANE NOR

Bologna is the capital of the Emilia Romagna Region, in central Italy. Within the Land Management Department of the Municipality of Bologna, the Sustainable Mobility Sector is in charge of planning policies and infrastructure interventions to favour sustainable mobility. This involves, among other tasks, monitoring circulation and traffic management measures, including operations carried out by external contractors and/or other city administrations.

The challenge

With a metropolitan population of about a million people, Bologna is served by a network of public buses operated by the publicly-owned company TPER Ltd (Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia-Romagna). Bologna is too small to have an underground transport system, but too large to be crossed with a single bus line. Hence, passengers often need to change buses to move around the city. To promote the use of public buses and ensure the quality of the service, it is therefore important to inform users of the precise arrival times of buses and to guarantee that bus circulation is as smooth as possible.

The satellite solution

For over ten years, Bologna public buses have been equipped with GPS transmitters which regularly communicate their position to a central unit. Today, more than 1 000 buses use the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system. The messages received by the central unit are automatically retransmitted to communicate the expected arrival times at the bus stops.

Moreover, Bologna’ centralised streetlight system adapts to traffic flows in real time, relying on the information provided by the AVL system and by a network of around 1 000 sensors placed under the street pavement, which monitor the number of cars on the street. Two minutes before approaching the traffic lights (detected through the GPS connection), buses send a message to the sensors nearby, allowing the central control unit to adapt the street light phases in real time so as to give priority green light to buses.

The result

Tests performed on a one-kilometre route showed that the system of sensors nearby traffic lights allows to save, in average, one and a half minutes on buses’ travel times. At large, the system ensures a greater regularity of buses arrival times and a considerable decrease of travel times.

Since 2012, the travel times of public buses collected through satellite navigation are made available as open data, allowing for the development of numerous apps to provide arrival times to users directly on their mobile devices. Moreover, the AVM data are used to calculate traffic congestion indexes which, thanks to an agreement with Google, can be visualised on Google Transit to inform users of traffic jams in the Municipality.

The AVM system, today operational on the totality of urban buses circulating in Bologna, will be soon extended to extra-urban bus lines.

“Satellite navigation proved to be a very valuable tool to improve circulation and enhance the use of public transport in Bologna”. Carlo Michelacci, Land Management Department, Sustainable Mobility Sector, Municipality of Bologna

Austro Control is the Air Navigation Service Provider responsible for maintaining top quality standards of safety and punctuality for airlines and passengers crossing Austrian airspace. With around 4,000 daily flights, the public authority is tasked with securing a smooth and safe air traffic. In December 2006 the company received the Single European Sky certification which allows it to provide air traffic control services in the European Union.  

The challenges

The Alpine location of some of the main airports in Austria such as in Innsbruck, Linz and Graz entails tremendous terrain challenges for flight navigation. Weather conditions together with mountain proximity, make landing and takeoff challenging, even for experienced pilots. Harsh weather conditions, especially during winter time, regularly force operators to delay or re-route flights which increase operation costs and affect the local tourism industry.

The satellite solution

In 2012 Austro Control decided to equip the airports in Linz and Graz with EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System), the first European satellite navigation system. The use of this system improves the accuracy and precision of GPS signals which can thus enable successful landings and takeoffs, even in low-visibility or bad weather conditions. Also, EGNOS enhanced the so called “lower decision height”, a series of manoeuvres implemented during the descent phase to allow for a precise landing of the airplane. This is especially effective in cases where the required visual reference to continue the approach is not visible to the pilot.

The results

These new procedures contributed to the decrease of the initial high flight diversion rates. The new system improved the positional accuracy allowing for better quality technical and safety standards for landing and arrival procedures. Moreover, the great benefit of these procedures lies in the fact that there were no investments necessary, and so big results were achieved through cost effective solutions. Further, Austro Control is now testing the Points in Space (PinS) project which aims to provide satellite based approach procedures for helicopters landings for emergency medical services on mountainous terrain. 

INEOS is a world leading chemical company headquartered in Switzerland founded in 1999. It employs a staff of 17, 000 and produces 60 million tons of products yearly. With a turnover of €50 billion in 2014, the company operates 65 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries, as well as the largest ethylene oxide terminal in Europe and the second-largest in the world. Its diverse portfolio includes textile and packaging companies, as well as fuels and other chemical products.

The opportunity

Ethylene Oxide is used in many agricultural products and as a steriliser for medical equipment and supplies. It is highly flammable, reactive and very toxic, so it is risky to transport. During transport, the units are exposed to shocks and extreme weather conditions, which can lead to accidents with very serioussecurity and health risks.  Despite such risks, whether delivery containers travelled by sea or train, INEOS had little information on their exact location and route.

Traditional track-and-trace systems rely on an external electricity supply to function. When on rail or boats, this is not the case. Rechargeable batteries, as well as GSM technology are inherently incompatible with highly flammable products such as Ethylene Oxide. Finally, real-time monitoring on global transports, including cross-ocean travels, required a complete rethinking of the technologies to use so as guarantee the functioning of the tracking device in those conditions for a minimum of 4 years.

The satellite solution

Recently, Ovinto, a Belgian SME, developed a satcom solution that relies on Globalstar (a commercial satellite network provider). In combination with satnav, it allows for a real-time tracking and monitoring of unpowered assets. INEOS tasked Ovinto to equip its fleet with the monitoring device and to set-up additional services based on the data monitored. The equipment enabled the company to monitor its wagons and containers carrying Ethylene Oxide worldwide. The system provides a continuous stream of data, such as location, temperature, pressure, leakage or shocks in near real-time.

The result

Thanks to the innovative tracking system, INEOS managed to cut maintenance costs, improve delivery times, and optimise the use of its wagons, thus increasing their economic cycle.  Last but not least, INEOS can better achieve its safety, health, and environmental objectives. As the service provides near real-time data, the company is better equipped to act accordingly in case of failures or accidents.

There was at times an insufficient grip on the whereabouts of our INEOS Ethylene Oxide containers. Now, thanks to a satcom based EX-proof system we can not only track our entire fleet remotely, but have also the possibility to retrieve safety critical parameters by using an internet-based software.

Patrick De Block, Business SHE Manager, INEOS Oxide

ITS Vienna Region was co-founded by the three provinces in 2006 as a cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems project within the regional public transport association (VOR). Partners of ITS Vienna Region are local and regional public transport providers, local and regional authorities, motorway and national railway operators (ASFINAG, ÖBB), the police, Vienna’s taxi fleets and the public radio’s (Ö3) traffic editorial office. Its mission is to collect dynamic traffic data, to support the administration in traffic management and e-Government, and to develop and implement a dynamic, intermodal traffic information system that responds to current and future mobility needs.

The challenge

The Vienna Region, encompassing the three provinces, covers an area of 23,500km2, has 3,6 million inhabitants and an estimated 300.000 commuters every day. The increasing volume of traffic has led the three provinces to take an interregional and intermodal approach to traffic management. 

Making traffic safer, smoother and more respectful of the environment are key objectives in and around Vienna. The main challenges are to reduce road traffic and congestion by encouraging the use of alternative modes of transport.

The satellite solution

ITS Vienna Region has been a key player in developing a joint nationwide geographic Graph Integration Platform (GIP) that provides an intermodal and permanently updated digital map of Austria´s transport network. The data sources referenced to the GIP are both static (road works, public transport timetables) and dynamic (traffic jams, public transport delays, etc.). One innovative solution is the inclusion of geo-localised information from GPS devices on board Vienna’s fleet of 3.500 taxis. With the technical support of the Austrian Institute of Technology, this information helps model the traffic situation in real-time, and increases the accuracy of the ITS services relying on the geographic information platform.

The results

The traffic information service AnachB has become a reference for citizens to calculate their ideal route from A to B, encouraging them to use environmentally friendly means of transport (public transport, cycling, walking or intermodal options such as Park&Ride).
The GIP allows public authorities to optimise their efforts in identifying and removing bottlenecks. A range of administrative services now use the GIP cartography and traffic information as a reference framework for the implementation of administrative procedures and planning decisions, such as authorisations for road works, road closures, or measures to improve traffic flow. These e-Government processes enable public authorities to increase their efficiency by interacting and coordinating their actions in real-time, on the basis of an up-to-date cartography and mutualised traffic information.

Since 2014, AnachB has been improved to better suite administrators’ and citizens’ needs. Routing calculation relies now on Traffic Information Austria (VAO), the new national collaborative traffic information service, while the platform interface has been optimised to be more user-friendly. Moreover, a brand-new App, “VOR AnachB”, has been developed to provide users with information to plan their trips directly on their mobile phones.

“The traffic model of ITS Vienna Region is linked with a dynamic traffic data pool. GPS based Floating Car Data (FCD) provided by 3,500 taxis is one of the key factors making accurate, real-time traffic information possible.”

The German Federal Office for Goods Transport (Bundesamt für Güterverkehr – BAG) is an independent higher federal authority and an executive agency of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. It performs numerous functions relating to road haulage and makes a valuable contribution towards enhancing safety on Germany’s roads, in particular by carrying out roadside checks.

The challenge

Historically, German motorways have been financed by a tax levied on car owners’ revenue. As of 1990, the German federal administration wished to reduce truck traffic on Federal motorways by implementing a tax targeting heavy vehicles (>12t). The aim of the initiative was not only to reduce congestion but also to limit the deterioration of roads. The tax would also start charging foreign trucks which previously circulated on federal roads without paying any fees.

On 9 February 1994, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark signed an agreement to introduce a common charge based on road usage time (the Eurovignette). As of 1999, the Ministry of Transport decided to replace it by a distance-related tolling system and launched a tender call to design, implement and manage it.

The satellite solution

In 2002, the contract to implement the tolling system in Germany was awarded to a consortium including Daimler Chrysler Services AG (now Daimler Financial Services AG), Deutsche Telekom AG and Cofiroute S. A., which created a dedicated society, Toll Collect. The tolling system became operational in January 2005.

Trucks circulating in Federal motorways have been equipped with On-Board Units (OBU), containing truck identification data and a geo-positioning device which records the position and distance covered by the vehicles. The OBUs periodically download satellite time-stamped position, and then records trucks’ movements. Those signals are confirmed thanks to data generated by complementary on-board sensors so that the accuracy stands below 10 metres (which is crucial if toll roads are located close to free ones). The system automatically logs in when the truck takes off. Registered users do not need to communicate in advance their itineraries and are free to change them during their journey. The system automatically calculates the toll fees due by users. Alternative ways of payment are also available, according to chosen subscription terms (direct debit, card payment, etc.).

The results

The satellite-based tolling system entails time-savings (less paperwork to generate tolling bills) and more flexibility for the drivers. The toll network covers today about 12,500 km of highways (plus some federal roads) and includes 2,213 junctions. The system does not require any road-side equipment and enables a free-flow traffic on German motorways and federal roads. In contrast to conventional tolling systems, there is no need for vehicle speed restrictions, stops or special toll lanes

During the first two years of implementation (2005/2006) only, the satellite-based tolling system generated revenues for €5,943 billion, which reached €35 billion in 2014. System operating costs are currently equivalent to around 10 % of revenues.

About 158,000 transport and logistics companies from 41 countries and nearly 1 million vehicles are registered with Toll Collect. The revenues of the system are used to maintain the motorway network and to provide increasingly satisfying services to motorway users.

Alderney is one of the eight inhabited Channel Islands, located in the English Channel near the French coast of Normandy. The Channel Islands are not part of the UK, but a dependency of the British Crown. Alderney, in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, has a surface of approximately 8 km2, with a population varying between 1,800 and 2,000 inhabitants.

Flying is the easiest and most convenient way for transporting people to and from the Island. Alderney airport – the smallest of the three Island airports and the closest to both French and UK mainland – is managed by the Guernsey Airport authorities on behalf of the States of Alderney. It has three runways, used by public and commercial flights. Within the Airport Authority, the Air Traffic Control Unit is responsible for providing the safe and efficient management of flight operations.

The challenge

Aurigny Air Services, the local airline, operates regular, charter and private passenger and freight flights between the Channel Islands, Western France and England. Regular flights are vital for the small Alderney community, since the island depends on air transport for the routine supply of goods, including post and daily newspapers, and for evacuations in case of medical emergencies (medical facilities on the island are limited).

Weather conditions, together with the constraints created by the proximity of French airspace, can make it very difficult, even for experienced pilots, to approach the runways of the Alderney airport. In particular, bad weather conditions regularly force operators to delay, divert or cancel scheduled flights, with negative consequences for the airline and its passengers, and also for the local economy.

The satellite solution

In 2011, Aurigny Air Services started using a landing system based on EGNOS (the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System), a system that improves navigation by reducing errors in GPS data.

The funding to implement the service was received by Aurigny and NATS (the UK air traffic control-provider for commercial flights), through the European Commission’s Trans European Networks (TENs) programme, which supports the global International Civil Aviation Organisation strategy to move away from ground-based and towards space-based landing systems.

The system was first tested on two of Aurigny’s Britten-Norman Trislanders and was then extended to the whole airline fleet. EGNOS uses three geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to verify the accuracy of and correct the GPS positioning signals. The new system provides both lateral and vertical guidance to touchdown on the runway, with the pilot cross checking his altitude with the altimeter, allowing an approach to the runaway without local ground-based navigation support, enabling successful landings in low-visibility conditions which might have prevented landings in the past.

One of the advantages of the system is that it does not require the installation of additional equipment on the ground, thus limiting costs. Since the new procedures were designed to be integrated with those previously used by the pilots and the controllers, ATC staff needed only limited training to start using the EGNOS system. The only relevant costs for the Airport Authority are those related with the initial design and the maintenance of the approach procedures.

The result

The system is currently installed on six aircraft, and has been used every day during the last two years.

EGNOS reduces errors in GPS data and provides pilots with both lateral and vertical guidance and better minima (i.e. decision height and runway visual range), allowing them to approach and land on the Alderney runaways in difficult weather conditions.

The use of the EGNOS system makes the Alderney airport far more accessible for commercial operations, ensuring safety and continuity of air services from and to the Island. It also enhances the competitiveness of the local airline, by minimising delays or costly diversions (which also have an impact on the amount of fuel burned), it increases comfort and safety for the passengers, and it better supports the local economy which relies on air transport.

By the first operational implementation of the EGNOS system for commercial flights, Alderney Airport proved the profitability and advantages of the service, while also leading the way for other small airfields in Europe.

“The EGNOS system ensures service continuity and operational safety, while also reducing workload for both airline flight crews and for the traffic controllers on the ground”, Frank McMeiken, Manager ATC, ATC Guernsey and Alderney Airports

EMT Madrid, Public Transport Operator of the City of Madrid, runs a fleet of 2 100 buses on 216 lines 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, serving over 425 million passengers. EMT Madrid is committed to operating at the highest quality standards, and the use of innovative technologies is at the heart of these efforts.

The Challenge

A survey on the public bus service highlighted user discontent over disrespect of punctuality and frequency. EMT sought to respond to this concern, help customers to plan their trips more efficiently, thus encouraging a more intensive use of public transport and a reduction of CO2.

The Satellite Solution

EMT Madrid developed a web platform, Movilidad 2.0, allowing bus users to position themselves on the bus network, identify surrounding streets and bus stops, calculate the walking time between two stops, the arrival times of the buses, and thus better plan a door-to-door trip. Users can access interactive maps and information on incidents and provide real time feedback to the company’s customer service. The application can also be downloaded on smartphones. 

The Results

Since the creation of the platform, 300 000 daily connections related to mobile applications (Java, Android, iPhone), to use online information, to access Geocoding and to calculate buses’ arrival times have been registered. “Movilidad 2.0” enhances the offer of services and user experience, thus fostering the use of public transport and better air quality. Given the pioneering nature of the experience, this service is also integrated in Google Transit.