At the Padua Freight Village, operational tests have been launched Remote control and automation of electric gantry cranes to the handling of containers and semi-trailers. Initially, the experimentation concerns the train-yard part of the depot, after the completion of all infrastructural and necessary software, while a second phase will be related to handling of truck loads. With remote control, the crane manoeuvre, in all its operations, is carried out by a control room specially built in the office building of the terminal and by the crane operator who has the same in front of him controls in the crane cab, while with automation it is possible to the crane itself to autonomously carry out all the necessary movements thanks to the instructions received from the Terminal Operative System (TOS), the software developed by Interporto Padova precisely to manage these processes, with instructions that can be entered by crane operators or managed directly by the software that also makes use of AI applications.

The automation phase concerns, for now, the southern beam of the terminal, four 750-meter tracks, on which three cranes operate. The whole area has been fenced off and protected by an additional Security system that detects any unforeseen human presence inside, immediately blocking the system if necessary. The Authorized operators can only access from a turnstile, similar to the entrance to the stadiums, wearing a helmet equipped with a special radio transmitter that identifies them and allows them to locate them at all times. In addition, for additional security, the truck drivers who load and unload containers will not be able to remain on board the vehicle or nearby during operations, but they will have to move in special distributed protection boxes along the lane. The cranes were equipped with sensors and cameras additional devices to be able to operate correctly without the presence of on board. Testing will continue in the coming weeks, with the goal of reaching full operation before of summer.

"It is important to understand - underlined the director General of Interporto Padova, Roberto Tosetto, on the occasion of of the announcement of the start of the trial - what are the objectives of this project, which makes us the Interporto technologically advanced in Italy and one of the most automated data in Europe. First of all, let's say that it is not a way to reduce staff, but rather, among its advantages, it has to offer more comfortable working conditions and less burdensome for crane operators. From an industrial point of view, The goal is to increase the productivity of the terminal. Remote control and automation allow us not only to carry out a more loading and unloading operations, but also more optimize them, avoiding unnecessary crane movements along the track and non-optimal positioning of containers in the areas of storage. With automation, for example, we can tell the system to use the night to put the containers in the position for their future destination. When we will be fully operational - explained Tosetto - we will be able to load and unload, along these four tracks, twice as many trains as we serve now, increasing in the offer to railway undertakings and multimodal operators, who are our customers. All without consume just one square meter more land than now, and moreover powering the cranes also with electricity self-produced with our photovoltaic system. At a time of global uncertainty of the markets, the only thing certain, on which all experts agree, is that we will have an increase in demand for transport of goods by train and that logistics will have to be increasingly sustainable. In this way we make ourselves find ready".

Meanwhile, on Thursday the Interporto Padova company is has been awarded the "Industria Felix 2025 Award, the North East which is now in its ninth edition and is organized by Industria Felix Magazine in collaboration with Cerved and Il Sole 24 Ore. The prize is awarded to companies based on analysis of their financial statements, with particular attention to the performance in the management field, reliability and, for some categories, sustainability environmental. The award takes into consideration the companies of capitals of the North East, with registered office in the territory, which have a turnover of over one million euros.