DCT Gdańsk, a company employing a PhD student at the Faculty, awarded a TSL award | Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology at the Gdańsk University of Technology

Karol Moszyk is currently working on an implementation PhD thesis on the analysis of the cargo handling strategy of the deep-water container terminal within the aspect of process efficiency. One of its elements consists in the automation of cargo handling process at lorry gate and railroad sidetrack. 

Automation of the lorry and rail gates consisted in implementing an OCR system (optical character recognition system) which allows the recognition of the container serial number, ISO of the type, registration number of an external truck tractor and trailer – says Karol Moszyk. – Together with a unique implementation including the integration with terminal operating system and shipping notice we were able to automate the entry to and exit from the DCT Gdańsk.  

Safety first

The gate complex, rail sidetrack, cargo handling pier and storage facilities are strategical elements of the operation of the deepwater container terminal DCT Gdańsk SA. Optimization and automation of these areas directly translates into increasing the process efficiency and stability of the largest container terminal at the Baltic Sea. Increasing the quality of the servicies influences the competitiveness of the terminal and customers' – including the largest shipping companies – satisfaction. 

The effect of the PhD thesis realized within the project will consist in shortening the duration of handling of the largest ocean-faring vessesl as well as of the feeder ships. This will allow the increase of the number of containers handled by the port in Gdańsk. 

However, the most important reason for implementing the system is the safety. – Implementation of the automated gates, man-machine contact has been reduced to nearly zero. The employees perform their tasks remotely, from the safe environment of the office, using a camera feed from the lorry and rail gates of the DCT– emphasizes Karol Moszyk. 

What next?

The system was implemented in 2019. Currently, the work revolves around the improvement of the character recognition in order to reach recognition levels reaching 100% At the DCT sidetrack, the OCR system is being launched on three rail cranes RMG and it is being integrated with the automatic rail gates. Additionally, the lorry gates will feature complex solutions allowing the identification of the number and distance between the specific axles of the truck and the trailer. 

Innovative solutions on an international scale

The realization of the project is strongly connected with the current needs of national and international market as far as process efficiency and stability of the largest container terminal at the Baltic Sea is concerned. The results of the examinations shall be implemented at DCT Gdańsk S.A. 

The PhD thesis is an effect of the cooperation of DCT Gdańsk S.A. with the team from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology including professor Mariusz Deja PhD, DSc, ME, Michał Dobrzyński, PhD, ME, Mieczysław Siemiątkowski PhD, ME, Aleksandra Wiśniewska PhD, ME. So far, the research on infrastructure and off-shore logistics have been completed. 

Karol Moszyk's PhD thesis supervisor representing the GUT is professor Mariusz Deja of the Institute of Machine Technology and Materials, vice-dean for cooperation. Jacek Grabowski, operations manager of DCT Gdańsk is co-supervisor responsible for the substantial support. 

Apart from DCT Gdańsk S.A, the nominees for the TSL Awards 2020 in Innovation in Logistics category included: DB Cargo, Grupa Integer, Grupa Raben.