Lasse Nykanen

In logistics, improved emissions data collection and interoperability of data can play a key role in achieving emissions reduction targets – not only in Finland but also globally. Thus, identifying the current emissions reporting practices and challenges is vital and enables more effective planning of the measures companies need to take to achieve compliance. In this study, two surveys were conducted in Finland to understand the views of companies regarding emissions data collection and reporting. A total of 123 shippers and 119 logistics service providers participated in the surveys. The results reveal that shippers have a growing interest in the topic and emissions reporting is considered an important part of business. However, among logistics service providers, the larger companies already collect and utilise emissions data, but the smaller ones neither collect emissions data nor have any actual interest in developing their practices in this regard. Therefore, actions are needed especially for smaller companies to adapt to the future.

This paper provides a study of the different alternatives that are being considered in the 5G-ROUTES project to establish seamless 5G connectivity in a maritime environment both from an architectural point of view and also from the definition of field trials to evaluate the performance and dependability of the proposed solution. As expected, the main challenge in providing 5G connectivity on the sea is to provide coverage over large areas of open water. Thus, as a starting point, this paper presents a measurement campaign that was conducted to assess the current coverage in the Baltic Sea, which concluded that the current terrestrial networks cannot guarantee sufficient coverage. Next, the solution architecture and trials proposed by 5G-ROUTES are described, which are based on the integration of satellite and leading-edge multi-hop connectivity in 5G networks. Utilizing satellite backhaul can potentially overcome the connectivity challenge from the terrestrial domain to the maritime domain, while multi-hop connectivity ensures that coverage is extended among the different ships that are navigating the sea. Furthermore, this paper describes how the project will evaluate, in field trials tailored to this maritime environment, common connectivity key performance indicators (KPIs) such as latency, throughput, availability and reliability. This paper concludes by providing a vision for applying the obtained results and insights to maritime transportation and other remote areas where the deployment of a suitable 5G infrastructure may be challenging or costly. The findings will be used to guide the design of future 5G networks for marine applications and to identify the most effective methods for providing secure and dependable communication in a maritime setting.