A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the University and the Dover Harbour Board has achieved the highest possible rating from Innovate UK, the UK\u2019s technology strategy agency, after it helped reduce traffic congestion, boost efficiency and cut costs for the Port.<\/p>\n
The project started in 2016 when the\u00a0Port of Dover<\/a>,\u00a0which handles \u00a3122bn-worth of UK trade annually, appointed a graduate of the\u00a0Kent Business School\u00a0<\/a>(KBS), Dr Cliff Preston (MSc Management Science<\/a>), to work within the organisation to help it use\u00a0data modelling\u00a0and\u00a0simulation software to\u00a0operate\u00a0more\u00a0effectively.<\/p>\n Port predicts likely traffic volumes\u00a0to ensure it has enough staff on hand to process vehicles through the port and so\u00a0minimise the risk of queues forming in and around Dover.<\/p>\n By improving its use of data from various sources, such as live traffic data on the motorways and past traffic levels at similar times, it has\u00a0drastically reduced\u00a0the use of Traffic Assessment Project (TAP) that sees\u00a0freight traffic held outside Dover by a series of traffic lights.<\/p>\n This has not only reduced the impact that freight traffic has on Dover and its residents, but it also means\u00a0one of the UK\u2019s key import-export hubs\u00a0is able to ensure goods can move into the UK, or over to Europe,\u00a0more efficiently.<\/p>\n The traffic simulation model is now also used to\u00a0help predict the requirement of the French border authorities operating in Dover\u00a0to ensure traffic through the port\u00a0is kept moving at all stages.<\/p>\n The quantitative methods used in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership have also been applied in part of\u00a0the port\u2019s substantive Dover Western Docks Revival (DWDR) project, in analysing the space and plant requirements of the new Cargo terminal and helping the port increase its\u00a0efficiency\u00a0and\u00a0effectiveness.<\/p>\n These successes have seen\u00a0the project awarded a grade of \u2018Outstanding\u2019 by the KTP Grading Panel. Only 10% of KTP projects achieve this grade,\u00a0underlining the impact the project has had.<\/p>\n The KTP between the University and Dover Harbour Board was set up by Kent Business School and Kent Innovation and Enterprise (KIE) and spurred on by the success of the partnership, the Port has sponsored a Master’s graduate in the\u00a0School of Physical Sciences\u00a0<\/a>to work for their organisation over the next 12 months.<\/p>\n For further information about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships<\/a> please visit the website<\/a>, or contact Kent Business School: enterprise@kent.ac.uk <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"