Using Digital twins for the future development of the port of Vaasa

Abstract

Digitalization and sustainability in ports have become more significant recently because of increasing operational complexity, environmental considerations, and energy transition. Terms such as smart ports, digital twins, renewable energy use, and sector coupling play an increasingly significant part in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of operations and decisions in port infrastructures. This thesis is concerned with the potential application of digital twin technology in developing future smart ports. Specifically, the possibilities of including energy functions and sector coupling ideas into the digital twin environment are considered. The thesis study includes a literature review and the actual development of a digital twin prototype for the Port of Vaasa. In the theoretical background, topics related to smart ports, digital twins, renewable energy sources, Power-to-X solutions, and sector coupling were examined. Based on the theoretical background, a web-based digital twin prototype was designed using CesiumJS and a variety of other tools. The developed prototype includes functionalities such as 3D visualization, land use layers, context information, port statistics, weather integration using external APIs, and scenario creation for energy usage. This prototype illustrates how digital twins can help visualize the port situation, increase situational awareness, and even make decisions, while keeping flexibility and accessibility through the utilization of open-source tools. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that digital twins have a lot of potential to be used for the future development of smart ports. This is related to data integration and the increased understanding of operations and energy planning within the ports. Moreover, by integrating sector coupling ideas into port digital twins, the future of ports becomes clear, as ports will serve as more than logistical centers, but also as parts of energy systems in the future.