Improving sustainability through intelligent cargo and adaptive decision making

In the current society, logistics is faced with the challenge to meet more stringent sustainability goals. Shippers and transport service providers both aim to reduce the carbon footprint of their logistic operations. To do so, optimal use of logistics resources and physical infrastructure should be aimed for. An adaptive decision making process for the selection of a specific transport modality, transport provider and timeslot (aimed at minimisation of the carbon footprint) enables shippers to achieve this. This requires shippers to have access to up-to-date capacity information from transport providers (e.g. current and scheduled loading status of the various transport means and information on carbon footprint) and traffic information (e.g. city logistics and current traffic information). A prerequisite is an adequate infrastructure for collaboration and open exchange of information between the various stakeholders in the logistics value chain to obtain the up-to-date information. This paper gives a view on how such an advanced information infrastructure can be realised, currently being developed within the EU iCargo project. The paper describes a reference logistics value chain, including business benefits for each of the roles in the logistics value chain of aiming for sustainability. A case analysis is presented that reflects a practical situation in which the various roles collaborate and exchange information for realizing sustainability goals, using adaptive decision making for selecting a transport modality, transport provider, and timeslot. A high-level overview is provided of the requirements on and technical implementation of the supporting advanced infrastructure for collaboration and open information exchange.In the current society, logistics is faced with the challenge to meet more stringent sustainability goals. Shippers and transport service providers both aim to reduce the carbon footprint of their logistic operations. To do so, optimal use of logistics resources and physical infrastructure should be aimed for. An adaptive decision making process for the selection of a specific transport modality, transport provider and timeslot (aimed at minimisation of the carbon footprint) enables shippers to achieve this. This requires shippers to have access to up-to-date capacity information from transport providers (e.g. current and scheduled loading status of the various transport means and information on carbon footprint) and traffic information (e.g. city logistics and current traffic information). A prerequisite is an adequate infrastructure for collaboration and open exchange of information between the various stakeholders in the logistics value chain to obtain the up-to-date information. This paper gives a view on how such an advanced information infrastructure can be realised, currently being developed within the EU iCargo project. The paper describes a reference logistics value chain, including business benefits for each of the roles in the logistics value chain of aiming for sustainability. A case analysis is presented that reflects a practical situation in which the various roles collaborate and exchange information for realizing sustainability goals, using adaptive decision making for selecting a transport modality, transport provider, and timeslot. A high-level overview is provided of the requirements on and technical implementation of the supporting advanced infrastructure for collaboration and open information exchange.In the current society, logistics is faced with the challenge to meet more stringent sustainability goals. Shippers and transport service providers both aim to reduce the carbon footprint of their logistic operations. To do so, optimal use of logistics resources and physical infrastructure should be aimed for. An adaptive decision making process for the selection of a specific transport modality, transport provider and timeslot (aimed at minimisation of the carbon footprint) enables shippers to achieve this. This requires shippers to have access to up-to-date capacity information from transport providers (e.g. current and scheduled loading status of the various transport means and information on carbon footprint) and traffic information (e.g. city logistics and current traffic information). A prerequisite is an adequate infrastructure for collaboration and open exchange of information between the various stakeholders in the logistics value chain to obtain the up-to-date information. This paper gives a view on how such an advanced information infrastructure can be realised, currently being developed within the EU iCargo project. The paper describes a reference logistics value chain, including business benefits for each of the roles in the logistics value chain of aiming for sustainability. A case analysis is presented that reflects a practical situation in which the various roles collaborate and exchange information for realizing sustainability goals, using adaptive decision making for selecting a transport modality, transport provider, and timeslot. A high-level overview is provided of the requirements on and technical implementation of the supporting advanced infrastructure for collaboration and open information exchange

Strategic directions of transport and logistics to ensure the implementation of new industrialization processes

Ensuring the processes of industrialization of the modern economy requires the formation of an efficient transport and logistics infrastructure. The solution of this task is carried out using the tools of strategic management, in particular the formation of strategic goals. The article presents the strategic goals and the corresponding strategic measures in the field of ensuring the availability and quality of transport and logistics services in the field of freight traffic at the level of the needs of the development of the economy of the Sverdlovsk region. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

The significance of 'relationship management' as a driver of retention of clients in third party logistics (3PL) : a case study in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

The principal objective of this research was to explore the trend and the role relationship management plays in keeping the Third Party Logistics (3PL) outsourcing businesses together. This research also aimed at highlighting the underlying factors in the business relationships among parties involved in Third Party Logistics (3PL) business, specifically in the New Zealand logistics industry. A literature review was conducted on a significant number of related articles to justify the research objective. This multi-case study has eight participant companies who were selected as representatives of the industry; a majority of them either market leaders or have a significant role in their business category. The eight case participants were classified into two groups: logistics service provider and logistics clients. Due to their unique operational and logistics activities, some participants fell in both categories. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires with open-ended questions to tap into the vast industry knowledge and logistics expertise of the participants. Given the infrastructure of the Australasian logistics outsourcing industry, the result of this multi-case study has supported the results, finding, and theories of the previous researchers and academics that relationship management is the key to retaining a loyal customer base and a successful business arrangement between 3PL service providers and their clients

Regional Trade and Logistics Infrastructure: A Spatial Approach

This paper aims to analyze whether the existing logistics platforms network in Spain affects Spanish transport demand by using a spatial framework. In particular, we use demand for transport to export goods to other Spanish provinces as a proxy for logistics infrastructure demand in Spain. Then, we obtain data for trade flows between provinces (NUTS3) in the year 2007. We also obtain data about the number and area of logistics platforms existing in each Spanish province to proxy for the transportation network structure in Spain. In a first step, we construct weight matrixes considering first-order contiguity and we obtain that spatial dependence is significant in a spatial econometric model of commodity flows (LeSage and Polasek, 2008). Secondly, we incorporate logistics network structure dependence into the model so that the spatial lags measure the impact and significance on trade flows from all origins to all destinations by considering the importance of logistics performance in the neighboring provinces. Finally, we perform the analysis for different economic activities. The results obtained provide evidence about the role of the location of logistics platforms for satisfying existing demand for transport structure in the Spanish provinces..

Trade Logistics and Regional Integration in Latin America and the Caribbean

During the past few decades, the landscape of the world economy has changed. New trade patterns reflect the globalization of the supply chain and intra-industry trade, and increasing flows between neighboring countries and trading blocs with similar factor endowments. Similarly, the approach to production, trade, and transportation has evolved incorporating freight logistics as an important value-added service in global production. This integrated approach have become essential, and as such, both the trade agenda and freight logistics are beginning to converge providing an unparalleled opportunity for countries to deepen their integration with neighboring countries and their national performance in transport related services. Consequently, developing countries are finding themselves hard-pressed to adjust their policy agendas to take into account costs not covered in past rounds of trade negotiations. This paper focuses on the importance of freight logistics in trade facilitation measures, examines the transport and logistics cost in international trade, addresses logistics performance in Latin America and the Caribbean and regional initiatives to advance the integration process and finally, exchanges views on the potential for trade logistics to impact the regional agenda and to deepen integration.latin america caribbean trade; regional integration; infrastructure trade facilitation

Формування і розвиток інфраструктурної логістичної безпеки на мікро- та макрорівнях

У статті розглянуто теоретичні аспекти формування логістичної інфраструктури. Представлено функціонально-структурний підхід до формування безпеки логістичної інфраструктури.The article deals with the theoretical aspects of the formation of logistics infrastructure. The functional-structural approach to building security logistics infrastructure

The performances of the national logistic systems: what strategies to reduce the Italian gap?

The Italian logistics suffer a strong competitive gap in comparison with the other European countries. This performance deficit generates 7.5 billion euro additional congestion costs for the Italian system: the reduction of the logistic costs would have a remarkable impact on the competitiveness of the Italian undertakings. Consequently, it is absolutely necessary to start effective policies in order to mind the gap with the competitors and to remove the infrastructural bottlenecks. In order to take up these challenges, two main knots must be untied: the infrastructure financing and the impact of the structure of the logistic sector on the overall system performance. As regards the former issue, the situation is very critical for those Member States (Italy) reporting infrastructure gap: the evolution of EU scenario pushes towards a more and more intense pressure on the public spending containment. With regard to the latter, Italy suffers from a low average dimension of the logistic operators. This paper suggests feasible solutions to solve the above mentioned problems.national logistic system, performance gap, Private Public Partnership, national champions, city logistics, industrial policy

Development prospects of the transport infrastructure of Russia in the conditions of development of the market of transport and logistic services

The paper is devoted to a critical analysis of the current state and development prospects of the transport infrastructure of the Russian Federation in the context of transport and logistics services. The share of through haulage in the total volume of export-import transactions has been estimated. At the same time, the right choice of methods of scientific research directly affects the success of solving the scientific problem, where the main feature of the modern economy is the transition from managing objects to managing flows. The main objective is to identify the problems of functioning of transport and transport infrastructure in the context of the largest "players" in the investment market of Russia, in the development of a competitive transport and logistics system of the state and its regions based on integration and innovative logistics technologies of the main participants in the supply chain operating in the Russian regions as well as corridors passing through the territory of Russia. These trends can be traced both in theoretical studies and in the practice of carrying out entrepreneurial activities. We use empirical methods of comparison, measurement, description, interpretation; theoretical methods of formal and dialectical logic. Working in difficult conditions, Russia should become a basic transport and logistics center. It needs to improve its logistics infrastructure and technologies for logistics organization, reducing costs within supply chains by optimizing customs clearance processes and eliminating legislative barriers. Conclusions: transport development should be developed not as a set of individual elements in the form of transport, transport infrastructure, and transport corridors, but as a single transport and logistics network.peer-reviewe