As urban freight networks, multimodal supply chains, and green transport initiatives grow increasingly dynamic, traditional standalone simulation tools have shown clear limitations in supporting complex and data-intensive transport decision-making. The HOLOGISTICS project stepped up to address this critical gap by presenting an AI-enabled, service-oriented simulation framework designed for next-generation transport ecosystems at the joint I3M 2026 / EUROSIM 2026 Congress in Genoa, Italy.

Rethinking Transport Modeling: The SIMaaS Approach

On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Mihails Savrasovs from the Transport and Telecommunication Institute (TSI) took the stage during the HMS-MAS: AI-powered simulation in transport and logistics session. He presented the research paper titled “Simulation-as-a-Service Paradigm for Transportation”, co-authored with Irina Yatskiv and Jurijs Tolujevs.

Rather than relying on isolated, file-based simulation software, the paper outlined an architectural framework for Simulation-as-a-Service (SIMaaS). This framework proposed an approach for decomposing monolithic models into interoperable simulation services that can interact across cloud and edge infrastructures.

Architectural & Methodological Highlights

The research presented at HMS 2026 described the SIMaaS ecosystem across three core evolutionary stages:

• System Design: Decomposing monolithic simulation models into interoperable simulation services, supported by service packaging, orchestration, and co-simulation mechanisms.

• Data & Intelligence Integration: Establishing a unified data layer for integrating heterogeneous transport data and introducing AI-in-the-loop capabilities for scenario generation and adaptive parameterisation.

• Simulation-Driven Digital Twins: Supporting scalable simulation execution, continuous validation, and closer integration between simulation models and real-world transport systems as a foundation for simulation-driven Digital Twins.

Democratizing High-Fidelity Simulation for Green Logistics

A core objective within HOLOGISTICS is fostering sustainable transport operations. By adopting a cloud-based utility model, the proposed SIMaaS framework aimed to lower financial and technological barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and municipal authorities. This approach enables broader access to advanced decision-support tools for applications such as evaluating fleet electrification, optimizing multimodal routes, and supporting efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Session Overview & Logistics

• Event: 28th International Conference on Harbor, Maritime and Multimodal Logistic Modeling & Simulation (HMS 2026), held within I3M 2026 / EUROSIM 2026

• Paper Title: Simulation-as-a-Service Paradigm for Transportation

• Authors: Irina Yatskiv, Jurijs Tolujevs, Mihails Savrasovs (Transport and Telecommunication Institute (TSI))

• Speaker: Mihails Savrasovs

• Date & Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 09:00 – 10:30

• Venue: Grand Hotel Savoia, Genoa – Giardino d’Inverno Room

• Section: HMS 2026 (co-located with EUROSIM 2026)

The presentation in Genoa successfully demonstrated how HOLOGISTICS and the SIMaaS paradigm are shaping the future of AI-powered, sustainable transport systems across Europe.

This research was conducted within the framework of the Horizon Europe project HOLOGISTICS (Holistically Optimised Logistics Operations and Green Innovative Solutions for Transport Cargo Sustainably), Grant Agreement No. 101202556.

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