PortEconomics member Francesco Parola, during the annual conference of the International Association of Maritime Economists, held 25-27 June 2025, in Bergen, Norway, delivered a presentation on “Digital Technologies for Efficient and Resilient Sea-Land Logistics: IT-Based Decision Support Systems to Manage Highway Capacity of Major Gateway Ports”.
Francesco examines the crucial role of road transport in port competitiveness and emphasises the necessity for improved coordination between maritime and inland logistics. The portstudy introduces a simulation-validated, IT-based Decision Support System (DSS) designed to monitor real-time highway traffic conditions, assess Levels of Service (LOS), and support strategic and operational decisions related to congestion management, maintenance planning, and infrastructure investments. Developed using Power BI and synthetic datasets, the DSS offers interactive dashboards and scenario analysis to inform stakeholders such as port authorities, highway operators, and public regulators, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and resilient port-hinterland connections.
You can freely download Francesco’s presentation via PortEconomics here.
