ERTICO’s Lina Konstantinopoulou will be talking about next generation platforms at the IRU World Congress. She offers some insights on new tech, smart systems and data sharing.
Transport and logistics are facing huge challenges – the need to increase efficiency, improve sustainability and lower costs – while keeping up with an accelerated pace of change and industry disruption.
This is further compounded by the need to offer a better customer service in the face of growing customer expectations, and to ensure compliance with ever more stringent regulations. And then there is the challenge of congestion. Congestion costs Europe about 1 % of its GDP every year and is a significant cause of carbon emissions.
"Digitalisation offers solutions."
The digitalisation of transport networks and infrastructure – if fully implemented – could better integrate road, rail, air and waterborne travel into a seamless transport network across Europe.
"Sharing is also a big story for logistics."
From Uber-style approaches to last-mile delivery, to more formal joint ventures and partnerships at corporate level, the whole sector is redefining collaboration. But it is still hampered by inconsistencies in everything from shipment sizes to processes and IT systems.
"Improving the way that elements in the freight and logistics chain communicate with each other and exchange data is key."
This is particularly true for highly congested hubs such as ports.
ERTICO, a public-private partnership that develops, promotes and deploys Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITS), understands the importance of improving interoperability and connectivity when it comes to optimising cargo flows and streamlining supply chain management.
To achieve fully digital and interoperable freight and logistics chains, it is necessary to leverage cutting-edge technologies and solutions, for example autonomous mobility and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). But the greatest impact in this area will undoubtedly come from exploiting synergies between ICT solutions, such as 5G, Internet of Things, end-to-end visibility networks and block chain.
ERTICO has set itself the goal of achieving fully digital, interoperable and automated freight and logistics operations in Europe by 2025 and seamless logistics and freight transport by 2030. With this goal in mind the partnership has recently announced its intention to launch a LogistiX hub in September 2018. A knowledge and business incubation centre, the hub will help companies become more competitive with regards to logistics and supply chain services using digital technologies. The AEOLIX project, or Architecture for EurOpean Logistics Information eXchange, is another tool to improve the connectivity of digital information systems.
"Working with our partners – including IRU – we are driving the development of a digital ecosystem to better manage, plan and synchronise freight and logistics operations across Europe."
This, in turn, will improve the overall competitiveness of goods transport in the supply chain and make it more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.