Using Information and Communication Technologies in Intermodal Freight Transportation: A case study

Abstract

The paper focuses on the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to the real-time transport monitoring in order to trace and automate specific procedures as payments and customs clearance operations. In particular, a case study, that represents an example of Intermodal Freight Transportation (IFT) system, is analyzed and simulated. The flow of goods and information involved in this case study is described in order to highlight the improvements reached by using ICT solutions. A simulation model for this system is proposed by the UML formalism and the discrete event simulation results point out the huge impact of ICT on real-time management and operations of IFT systems.