ProGYS: Promoting the reach and impact of the Green Yard Scheduler

Background

ProGYS is a 14-month project (Aug 2023 – Sep 2024) with a £40k budget funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under an Impact Accelerator Account (IAA) award managed by Brunel University London.

The project aims to extend the readiness level of the Green Yard Scheduler (GYS), an innovative solution aimed at promoting the sustainability and productivity of container terminals and facilitating their transition to Net Zero. Professor Afshin Mansouri led the development of the GYS in the H2020 project PortForward between 2018 and 2022. The GYS is developed and validated using the container terminal of the Port of Vigo in Spain operated by TERMAVI as the case study. The solution was developed in a flexible and scalable manner, reaching TRL7, so it can be implemented in other ports. The GYS was officially introduced to potential users through a Promotional Video on YouTube in September 2022. The current version of the GYS is a desktop application that retrieves real-time data from the Terminal Operating System (TOS) and provides solutions to terminal operators. It consists of three modules for housekeeping, inspection container positioning, and yard crane scheduling.

Value propositions

The target customers of the GYS include (i) operators of container terminals and (ii) software solution providers for container ports. For terminal operators, the GYS functions as an add-on to existing TOS and delivers significant value by achieving various outcomes. Performance evaluation of the GYS at the Port of Vigo shows its great potential to save energy and improve operational performance. 

These include saving 5 kWh (equivalent to 1 EUR) per TEU, reducing GHG emissions by 10%-15%, increasing profit by 5%-10%, and minimizing the need for complex, ad-hoc decision-making by planners, thereby improving working conditions for human resources.

For software companies providing solutions to container terminals, such as TOS providers, the GYS generates value by enhancing their software systems and incorporating innovative, value-adding features. 

It leverages the scientific results of an EU-funded project to enable the rapid release of new versions to the market, while also promoting their brand image as a solution provider supporting the green movement towards Net Zero.

Scope and partnership

The ProGYS project aims is to elevate the readiness level of the GYS, ideally reaching TRL8, and to enhance its adoption and impact in other ports. This will be accomplished through prototyping, pilot testing, market research, and engaging with stakeholders in container ports, including terminal operators and software solution developers for container terminals. The project will facilitate reaching out to these customer segments by utilizing a cloud-based prototype, pilot testing in a UK port, and conducting market research and participating in business forums or events. Connected Places Catapult is a partner in the ProGYS project and supports it via their network of contacts in the maritime sector for data gathering, identifying a suitable container port for pilot testing the GYS, and disseminating the findings.

Contact

Stakeholders of container ports, including terminal operators and solution providers to container terminals are most welcome to get in touch with Professor Mansouri for further details and exploring avenues for engagement in the ProGYS project. 

Meet the Principal Investigator(s) for the project

Professor Afshin Mansouri - Afshin Mansouri is a Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at Brunel Business School (BBS). He holds a PhD, MSc, and BSc in Industrial Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology. In addition to his academic education, he has gained valuable experience working for several business organisations in the fields of production and project management. Prior to joining Brunel University London, he held academic and research positions at the University of Tours, University of Tehran, and King’s College London. His areas of interest encompass sustainable operations, supply chain management, and disaster relief, utilizing OR/MS methodologies and data-driven decision-making. During his tenure at BBS, he has held various leadership roles including Director of Research (2017-22), overseeing BBS's REF 2021 submission, Director of Postgraduate Studies (2016-17), and Course Director for BSc Business and Management (2010-16). Professor Mansouri has secured over two million euros of funding as a Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Investigator (Co-I) in eight projects from EU and UK funding bodies. He is recognized as a pioneer in the field of Green Scheduling and is actively working to expand its application in both the maritime and manufacturing sectors. In the PortForward project, Afshin successfully led the development of The Green Yard Scheduler (GYS), an innovative decision support system aimed at improving the sustainability and productivity of container terminals. This system has progressed from fundamental principles to TRL7, marking its first implementation at the Port of Vigo in Spain. Afshin is a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and a member of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science (INFORMS).

Related Research Group(s)

Operations and Information Systems Management - We specialize in responsible and sustainable operation management exploring information systems, operations research, management science, and general management and strategic management knowledge and approaches across public and private industry sectors

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability - Our focus is on how individuals, businesses and societies can tap into creative and entrepreneurial flair to develop innovative solutions, in order to not only create economic value, but also solve social and environmental problems.

Project last modified 12/10/2023