Optimal Fleet Transition Modeling for Sustainable Inland Waterways Transport

The transition to sustainable waterways transport is imperative in the face of environmental and climate challenges. Local lakes, often overlooked, play a significant role in regional transportation networks and ecosystems. This study focuses on Orta lake, Italy, and aims to facilitate its transition to sustainable inland waterways transport by substituting its diesel-based fleet with electric vessels. Firstly, a comprehensive market analysis was conducted to understand the available electric vessel models and their technical characteristics. This included parameters such as capacity, range, and charging time. Based on the market analysis, an optimization model was developed to determine the minimum number of electric vessels required to completely replace the existing diesel-based fleet. This model considers various constraints and objectives, such as meeting transport demand, minimizing the number of vessels, and reducing environmental impact. The developed model was then applied to the case study of Orta lake using the collected market data. The results indicate an optimal fleet configuration and provide insights into the feasibility and implications of the transition. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable inland waterways transport and offers a methodology that can be replicated and adapted for other local lakes or maritime settings.