In the beginning of April 2022, the STORM project released an assessment of new needs and knowledge analysis gaps in the freight and logistic transport sector. As one of the project partners, ERTICO’s role in the management of STORM delineates its clear aim to increase interoperability, and connectivity in the optimisation of freight flows, and to facilitate supply chain management.
The study emphasizes the importance of sustainable logistics, digital work and artificial intelligence as key elements and the highest-ranked trends and technologies. A shift in their direction will be significantly impactful, eventually benefitting the competitiveness, the provision of services and the economy in general. Digitalisation, in particular, has been considered of primary importance in shaping the market structure and the organisation of logistics. For this reason, the entire industrial society will need to turn the spotlight on the needed structural changes and the new demand for sustainable products from producers and consumers.
The COVID-19 pandemic also raised some questions regarding the consumers’ behaviours and their influence of it on the logistics sector. The report highlights a renewed interest in local and regional production/consumption systems, especially identifying a greater connection to debated ethical and environmental standards in products. However, the freight transport sector still has several challenges that will hinder further developments.
Investment costs, energy supply chain management, urban planning and workforce shortages are just a few of the identified barriers to change. Instead of an incremental innovation process, a radical systemic shift needs to be favoured, adopting a forward-looking scenario assessment of pathways of change in the transport systems.
Author: Maksym Yaryhin
