On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI), through the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) under the Logistics and Rail Systems program at PMUC, participated in a public relations event to promote innovations and research outcomes of the project “Management of Bulk Cargo Logistics Systems at Mid-Sea Loading Platforms Using Information Systems and Digital Platforms.” The event was aimed at presenting the project’s progress and disseminating beneficial information to members of the Maritime & Business Association and relevant organizations. This information was intended to serve as a model for developing modern logistics technology and management systems for the country, as well as to build networks of collaboration between PMUC and various organizations participating in the event.
The event was coordinated by Assistant Professor Dr. Chatnakrob Saengsawang, Logistics and Rail Systems Coordinator at PMUC, along with representatives from the business sector supporting the research in partnership with PMUC, led by Mr. Worathep Suwojanakorn, President of the Maritime & Business Association and Vice President of S.P. Inter Marine Co., Ltd., and Professor Kanjana Setthanunt, Ph.D., head of the Research Project and grant recipient from Khon Kaen University. The event, jointly organized with the Maritime & Business Association, was held at the meeting room of the Maritime & Business Association, Golden Villa, Moo 1, Ekachai Road, Nadi Subdistrict, Mueang District, Samut Sakhon Province.
During the event, Assistant Professor Chatnakrob Saengsawang, Ph.D, discussed the background of promoting the research project “Management of Bulk Cargo Logistics Systems at Mid-Sea Loading Platforms Using Information Systems and Digital Platforms” under the N10 (S1P6) program for developing modern and internationally standardized logistics technology and management systems in Thailand. He informed members of the Maritime & Business Association and seminar participants about PMUC’s mission to allocate research funding and foster innovations to enhance the competitiveness of the production and service sectors. The funding emphasizes collaboration or co-investment with end-users, such as SMEs and industry partners. In this project, S.P. Inter Marine Co., Ltd. co-funded the research conducted by the research team from Khon Kaen University in partnership with PMUC.
Professor Kanjana Setthanunt provided detailed information on the results of operations under the public relations activities to disseminate innovations and research outcomes from the project ” Management of Bulk Cargo Logistics Systems at Mid-Sea Loading Platforms Using Information Systems and Digital Platforms.” She stated that this project applies digital technology for monitoring energy consumption rates in bulk cargo handling and managing large-scale real-time data. This foundational information enables operators to determine the electricity production of generators and the energy consumption rate of each crane during cargo handling. This data can then be used to plan cargo handling efficiently and quickly for business operations. Furthermore, software systems are employed to schedule bulk cargo loading/unloading for ships, allowing businesses to plan ahead for multiple periods (multi-period scheduling). This supports the most efficient bulk cargo handling in terms of cargo volume, energy consumption rate, and time used for cargo handling. Additionally, a database system is used for analyzing large-scale energy consumption data (Big Data), and a Monitoring and Tracking system is implemented to update logistics performance indicators in real-time.
Mr. Worathep Suwojanakorn, President of the Maritime & Business Association and President of S.P. Inter Marine Co., Ltd., mentioned that focusing on energy conservation in both his company and the association’s entities is essential in promoting the establishment of a tangible energy conservation network in the water transport sector. S.P. Inter Marine Co., Ltd. has initiated work on this project since 2023 to develop an energy conservation plan in the company’s transport sector. Thus, this project will be beneficial in applying digital technology for monitoring energy consumption rates in bulk cargo handling and managing real-time large-scale data, using software systems for scheduling the bulk cargo loading/unloading for ships. Additionally, the project focuses on developing a database system for analyzing large-scale energy consumption data (Big Data) and a Monitoring and Tracking system that can update logistics performance indicators in real-time. This can bring significant benefits and serve as a pilot model for the association’s network of water transport operators in the future.
According to the operation findings, the research team found that the development of a software prototype to support bulk cargo transport and handling, specifically for the management of cargo ships, buoys, and cranes, can help reduce energy consumption by 5.83% and reduce handling time by 12.52%. Additionally, through the installation of digital technology for real-time monitoring of energy consumption during bulk cargo handling and the management of big data in a Monitoring and Tracking system, the performance of machinery and equipment used in handling can be accurately analyzed. It was found that businesses have the potential to reduce energy costs by improving low-efficiency machinery and equipment to enhance energy efficiency. The energy cost reduction potential from improving machinery and equipment systems includes: 1) the potential to reduce costs from improving power generators, where increasing the kWh/liter value could reduce fuel consumption for electricity generation by up to 11.13%, and 2) the potential to reduce costs by managing and improving crane operations to increase energy efficiency. This involves inspecting the crane’s performance and the operators’ driving skills, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 32.28%.
Through collaboration with the management and staff of S.P. Inter Marine Co., Ltd. in this project, these findings can serve as guidelines to support and promote entrepreneurs in the water transport sector in implementing measures and developing database systems for analyzing and managing cargo handling data. This will result in energy savings and further promote energy conservation in water transport for new businesses in the future.
