Director
Dr. Sergi Sauri
CIMNE’s Innovation Unit in Transport (CENIT) translates engineering into innovative mobility solutions to address social, environmental, and economic needs. Since 2001, it has generated knowledge in logistics, mobility, and urban efficiency through research, training, and technology transfer.
Latest News
Breaking Barriers in Transport Economics: Clara’s Journey in Engineering
For this year’s International Women’s Day on 8 March, we’re talking to Clara Soler Bañuelos, a Researcher at CIMNE’s Innovation Unit in Transport (CENIT) - and PhD fellow at The Metropolitan Transport Authority of the Barcelona Area (ATM). From Civil Engineering to...
CENIT Contributes to the Future of Sustainable Rail Hubs at RAIL4CITIES Final Meeting in Paris
CIMNE’s Innovation Unit in Transport, CENIT, joined European partners in Paris in June for the closing meeting of RAIL4CITIES, an international project under the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, hosted at the headquarters of the UIC – International Union of...
CIMNE helps Bali move towards a greener future with electric buses
Known for its beautiful landscape and vibrant culture, Bali is facing a growing challenge from traffic congestion and pollution. As tourism and population growth continue to rise, carbon emissions from traditional fuel-powered vehicles threaten environmental...
Featured
PhD Opportunities
Carry out your doctoral research jointly at CENIT and in a public institution.
Improving Jakarta's Air Quality
Discover how our research is spreadheading a Low Emission Zone in Indonesia's capital.
Green Ports
See how we're partnering with international leaders to enhance the sustainability of ports
With a wealth of experience from partnerships in our home city of Barcelona, we have a wide breadth of experience covering the transport economy, including:
- Mobility and urban transport
- Travel behavior
- Transport economics
- Urban freight distribution
- Electromobility
- Traffic modeling
- Demand analysis
- Port terminal operations
- Port management
- Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
CENIT’s multidisciplinary team has extensive expertise in system modelling and methodological development based on fundamentals of operations research and economic behavior.
In addition to R&D activities, CENIT also organizes courses and seminars aimed at professionals seeking to update their specific technical knowledge and learn about the latest developments in the transportation sector.
Founded in 2001, CENIT has been the Innovation Unit in Transport of the International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) since their merging in 2017.
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Our Mission
Since its inception in 2001, CENIT has strived to provide cutting edge research and technology solutions to both the public and private sectors while providing thought leadership through contributions to scientific and academic journals as well as global events.
CENIT’s work spans several areas and include Urban Mobility, Port Logistics and Maritime Transport, and Transport Infrastructure Management, with an emphasis on transport economics, operations research, travel behaviour, sustainability, transport policy, demand analysis, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
DISCOVER OUR RESEARCH
Contact
CENIT – Innovation Unit in Transport at CIMNE
Carrer de l’Arquitecte Sert, 1
08071 Barcelona
93 413 76 77
Management Staff
Dr. Sergi Saurí
Director
Research Staff
Matteo Boschian
Researcher in Mobility and Sustainable Transport
Chiara Saragani
Researcher in Digitalization
Mulia Andreas Pasaribu
Researcher in Transport and Urban Mobility
Clara Soler
Researcher in Demand Modeling
Paco Gasparín
Researcher in Urban Mobility and Freight Transport
Arnau Sedeño Gomez
Researcher in Blue Economy
Germán de Melo
Affiliate Researcher. Maritime Transportation and Port Logistics
Evegnii Pronin
Researcher in Transport
Genís Majoral
Researcher in Transport Economics
Dimitros Karamanis
Researcher in Transport
Francisco Miguel Rodero
ITS Manager
Roger Guerra Valero
Researcher in Transport
Research Support Staff
Jane Kirsch
Business Development/
Communications
CENIT offers a scientific perspective to analyzing the problems affecting the day-to-day operations of transportation systems, logistics chains and mobility plans.
CENIT has a wealth of proven expertise, both nationally and internationally, in the fields of transport economy, travel behaviour, urban freight distribution, electromobility, traffic modelling, demand analysis, maritime transport and port management.
Our multidisciplinary, scientific, and systematic approach allows us to quantitatively analyse different elements of transport relating to service, behaviour, perception, functionality, sustainability, management, quality, reliability, risk and safety.
We participate in:
- the planning and functional design of transport (infrastructure and its management)
the simulation of transport demand (ports, railways, public transport, traffic, freight) - demand forecasting, optimisation of operations and logistics costs
- transport economics, assessment of the economic, financial and social profitability of transportation projects
- the analysis of transport systems from the perspective of service, functionality and business.
CENIT is dedicated to analysing the problems affecting day-to-day transportation systems, logistics chains and nodes and mobility from a scientific perspective. This provides added value for innovative solutions and technical support to advise public bodies and companies.
Transport economics
Cost-benefit analysis; charging systems; PPP concession systems; financing; impact of transport invesements
Sustainable urban mobility
Implementation of electric buses; public transport network design; efficiency analysis, optimisation of operations
Ports and martime transport
Port operations and optimisation; decarbonization strategies for ports; digitalization strategies; cost analysis; demand analysis; design of port terminals
Logistics and urban freight
Route design; electric vehicles for freight distribution: location of electric charging stations; sustainable last-mile delivery solutions
Alliances
UITP | The International Association of Public Transport
UITP is internationally recognised for its work to advance the development of this critical policy agenda. UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes.
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ALICE | European Technology Platform
ALICE was formed in 2013 to develop a comprehensive strategy for research, innovation and market deployment of logistics and supply chain management innovation in Europe. The platform will support and assist and advise the European Commission into the implementation of the EU Program for research: Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe in the area of Logistics.
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ECTRI | European Conference of Transport Research Institutes
ECTRI’s aim is to help build the “European Research Area” (ERA) in transport by cooperation in thematic and process oriented thematic groups, task forces, Framework Programme projects, seminars and conferences.
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Railgrup Cluster
Railgrup was founded in 2002 as the product of an initiative to strengthen the competitiveness of the railway sector and industry, led by what was then called the General Directorate for Industry, with the participation of the Department of Regional Policy and Public Works of the Catalan Government.
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Catalonia Logistics
Catalonia Logistics is the official Cluster of the transport and logistics sector in Catalonia. The goal of the cluster is to promote innovation in the logistics sector.
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Logistop
Logistop is a multidisciplinary work forum, opened to the participation and incorporation of all agents with interests in the field of Logistics, Intermodality, Transport and Mobility.
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Ongoing projects
Finished projects
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PHD Fellowships
Public Research Partnership
One of the founding goals of CENIT was to provide scientific support to the public sector on topics related to transport and mobility. For this reason, our center has created the Public Research Partnership, which aims to develop joint doctorates on strategic themes between CENIT and public entities.
To facilitate an effective transfer of knowledge between the two entities, PhD students spend some days working together with the staff of the public entity and other days in the offices of CENIT.
Interested?
If you’re a student or institution interested in joining our PhD programme, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Meet our PhD Fellows
Chiara Saragani
MSc. in Industrial Engineering. Researcher. Digitalization solutions | PhD Candidate. Port of Barcelona fellow.
Chiara is currently developing her PhD with the Department of Strategy and Innovation of the Port of Barcelona. Her thesis is focused on digitalization in ports to discover new solution for improving logistics activities.
She is currently conducting research in the field of Digital Twins, 5G connection, IoT solutions and AI models.
Clara Soler
MSc. in Civil Engineering Researcher. Demand modeling | PhD Candidate. Generalitat de Catalunya fellow
Clara is currently developing her PhD with the Departament de la Vicepresidència i de Polítiques Digitals i Territori. Her research includes topics related to transportation demand.
Matteo Boschian Cuch
MSc. in Mobility Engineering Researcher. Sustainable transport | PhD Student. Port of Barcelona fellow.
Matteo is currently pursuing his PhD with the Department of Strategy and Innovation at the Port of Barcelona. His research focuses on sustainable freight transport between the port and its hinterland. He has developed a model to quantify the inland transport emissions of the port and is contributing to strategies aimed at enhancing the port’s intermodal connectivity.
Arnau Sedeño Gómez
MSc. in Oceanography and Marine Environment Management | PhD Student. Port of Barcelona fellow.
Arnau is conducting his PhD with the Innovation Department at the Port of Barcelona, focusing on the Blue Economy. His research quantifies the current impact of blue-economy activities, and projects how they may evolve in the coming years, identifying cross-sector synergies and levers for policy and investment. His work supports the Port’s strategy to foster innovation and position the port area as a hub for companies and startups in the Blue Economy.
CENIT experts contribute to PhD and Master’s degrees in civil engineering, transport, and mobility jointly with the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). We also offer highly specialized postgraduate courses in transport and logistics.
Latest News
Career Spotlight — Chiara Saragani: Applying Engineering Research to Optimize Maritime Supply Chains
On this International Women in Engineering Day, we spotlight the work of Chiara Saragani, a researcher at CIMNE Innovation Unit in Transport, CENIT, and PhD fellow at the Port of Barcelona. Her work is contributing to the advancement of port management and...
A new CIMNE project will monitor the impact of the EU Emissions Trading System on Spanish ports
Researchers at CIMNE’s Innovation Unit in Transport, CENIT, have begun working on a significant new project that aims to provide insights into one of the most pressing developments in European shipping: the extension of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)...