GraphConnect 2020

Learn how Europe's largest and most innovative port, the Port of Rotterdam, is leveraging neo4j graph technology to run its multi-modal schedule route optimization engine. The core driver of our application Navigate. Our door-to-door route optimization application for container shippers.

We believe that transparency is key in the optimization of the logistics industry and in the reduction of CO2 emissions due to suboptimal routing. Our application Navigate therefore provides container-shippers and -forwarders a clear and neutral comparison of door-to-door options to ship their container from A to B. Combining schedule information from deepsea, shortsea, train, barge and truck operators. Enabling them to optimize their route on duration, arrival time, emissions and number of transfers.

Due to the combination of an urging problem, proven technology, business experts and development team, the engine was able to go from a proof of concept in our Innovation lab, to a minimal viable product, and into production within months. Starting up fast with cypher queries in Neo4j desktop and scaling up by using graph procedures in our cloud environment. Additionally the engine also serves as an enabler for machine learning models generating estimated times of arrival for vessels coming to our and other ports.

The talk is covering our process from an initial idea to bringing it into production as a SaaS solution, now used by ports on multiple continents. Our experienced benefits of having full control from data retrieval to application, as well as technical insights such as custom graph procedures using Kotlin.