Collaborative and AdaPtive Integrated Transport Across Land and Sea (CAPITALS)

Ports around Liverpool and the Humber will become testbeds for new algorithms that synchronise the arrival of ships, lorries, and trains to cut congestion and delays. Why this matters: The UK moves more than 95% of its imports and exports by sea, but ports and their surrounding roads and railways are struggling with growing numbers of larger vessels, lorries, and rail wagons. Delays at these choke points ripple through the entire supply chain, raising costs and slowing goods. Current systems do not coordinate sea, road, and rail movements in real time. What the research does: Over two years, 15 organisations across the land-sea logistics chain will develop user-centred applications and services that exploit maritime, road, rail, and local authority data. Advanced algorithms will match shipping schedules with inland transport capacity, aiming to squeeze more capacity from existing infrastructure without building new roads or rail lines. Potential impact: If successful, the project could reduce port congestion, lower freight costs, and improve the reliability of goods reaching shops and factories. The solutions will first be trialled in Liverpool and Humber, then a roadmap will be created for national and international scale-up. For an island nation dependent on sea trade, smoother port operations would keep a critical but invisible part of the economy running more efficiently.