Developing environmentally sustainable logistics: Exploring themes and challenges from a logistics service providers’ perspective

The purpose of this paper is to explore themes and challenges in developing environmentally sustainable logistical activities.The approach is explorative with a cross sectional design that takes advantage of ten case studies out of selected logistics service providers (LSPs) operating primarily in the Scandinavian countries.The findings illustrate the major themes by analyzing current and future activities in developing environmentally sustainable logistical activities. In addition, four categories of challenges are identified: customer priorities, managerial complexity, network imbalance, and technological and legislative uncertainties. It is concluded that there is a great need for a holistic perspective where LSPs and product owners together analyze and design future logistical setups.The suggested holistic and integrative model, building on a three-dimensional concurrent engineering framework, provides new opportunities for research. Further research is needed to improve the interrelationship between LSPs and their customers in the development of sustainable logistical solutions.This paper puts forward recommendations for the sustainable development of logistics by combining the results from the case studies with a review of related literature. This will be beneficial for managers and policy makers when they approach sustainable logistical challenges. The emergence and synthesis of themes and challenges are critical for a sustainable society.     

Integrating intermodal transport with logistics: a case study of the UK retail sector

Retail traffic is one of the main drivers for the growth of intermodal transport services in the UK. This paper examines the key factors underpinning this modal shift in order to learn lessons for other market and geographical contexts. Since successful retail intermodal logistics involves many actors, this paper is based on semi-structured interviews with major UK retailers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and rail operators, supplemented by document analysis. The qualitative data are analysed via a conceptual framework derived from the literature. Despite past successes and the presence of drivers for future growth, the paper identifies many operational issues without current solutions and the presence of ongoing public subsidy. The major conclusion is that the importance of 3PLs, aggregation and multi-user platforms must be recognised by transport planners in supporting the use of intermodal transport by retailers and other large shippers.     

Energy consumption in China’s logistics industry: A decomposition analysis using the LMDI approach

The logistics industry plays a critical role in boosting China’s economic development, although at significant externality costs. Using the 1980–2010 data, we examine the historical evolution of energy consumption in China’s logistics industry. The logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method was used to analyze the key factors that drove the chronicle changes in logistics energy consumption in China. Changes in energy consumption of China’s logistics industry are attributed to growth in logistics activity, modal shift in freight transportation, increases in transport intensity, and overall improvements in energy intensity: (1) China’s logistics industry enjoyed fast growth with an average annual growth rate of 9.65% from 1980 to 2010. Increase in logistics activity has been the major force driving up logistics energy consumption (accounting for 48.8% of logistics energy increase); (2) Logistics energy consumption increased by 22.91 times, averaging at 11.9% growth per year. Fuel consumption in highway transportation has become more dominant in logistics energy consumption; (3) While changes in logistics activities, transportation modes and transport intensity pushed up logistics energy consumptions, improvements in energy intensity helped significantly to curb the energy rise in China’s logistics industry.     

Relationship between logistics infrastructure and trade: Evidence from Spanish regional exports

Geographical factors and transport infrastructure are two of the key determinants that influence international competitiveness. In this sense, the quality of such infrastructure and how widespread it is, the distribution and capacity of logistics facilities in a country, as well as the number of private operators and their degree of specialisation, all play an increasingly important role in the design of business strategies aimed at increasing a country’s share of the international market. Until recently, however, availability and access to logistics services have been considered secondary factors when defining business competitiveness. This paper estimates an augmented gravity model of trade that specifically includes logistics and transport infrastructure indicators as explanatory variables. The model is estimated by using bilateral exports from 19 Spanish regions to 64 destinations (45 countries and 19 Spanish regions) with data for the period 2003–2007. The findings show that logistics is indeed important for the analysis of trade flows in goods and they highlight the importance of logistics measures at the regional level. In particular, the number, size and quality of logistics facilities positively influence export flows.     

The contemporary motor carrier salesperson: An analysis of shipper and carrier perspectives

One of the continuing concerns of the motor carrier industry is the need to upgrade the knowledge and skills of its salespeople. The paper reports the findings of a study which attempts to identify the specific characteristics of salespeople that require upgrading or improvement. The study is unique in the sense it examines and compares the views of both shippers (i.e. “buyers”) and carriers (i.e. “sellers”) of trucking services. Overall, both the univariate and multivariate analysis indicate that shippers and motor carrier sales managers have very different perceptions regarding desirable salesperson attributes, with shippers advocating less emphasis on personal traits and more attention to service and knowledge-related attributes. This suggests that motor carriers, in general, have been slow to adapt their sales management policies and practices to the realities of the contemporary transportation environment.     

新冠肺炎疫情对广州现代物流业的影响及对策探讨

广州是"千年商都",是全国对外贸易及货物流动最活跃的地区,物流行业规模持续多年位居全国前列。2020年新冠肺炎疫情爆发以来,对广州的现代物流业发展带来了较大的影响和冲击。分析2020年上半年广州航空、航运、铁路、公路及邮政快递货运量变化及物流业发展面临的困境,探讨了广州现代物流业发展存在的弱项和短板,并在物流枢纽与网络、产业集聚及相关支持政策等方面提出了应对措施及建议。     

Multiple criteria and fuzzy based evaluation of logistics performance for intermodal transportation

This paper presents a framework to evaluate the logistics performance of intermodal freight transportation. Fuzzy set techniques are applied to assess the logistics performance within the decision process of freight operators. Using a fuzzy‐based approach, fuzzy‐AHP is applied to assess the criteria by different judgment procedures. Consequently, fuzzy‐MCDM is used to assess operators' perception of the logistics performance via proper assignment of numerical scores. The subjective judgments for hierarchical criteria are transformed into fuzzy degrees of score. The methodology provides an alternative approach to facilitate the importance of a set of performance criteria. It can also entail use of improved corresponding parameters to develop a better freight transport system.     

How the environmental impact affects the design of logistics networks based on cost minimization

The degree of centralization of the logistics network is one of the important strategic decisions to take. This issue has often been studied but mainly from a cost minimization focus. This research studies the influence of incorporating the environmental impact in logistics network design models, comparing the results with those obtained considering cost minimization only. A fuzzy biobjective optimization model is used to carry out a number of experiments. By weighting the relative importance of the two objectives, the differences with respect to the base cost minimization solution can be ascertained. Our results show that in general more material is moved through warehouses when the environmental impact is considered and more decentralized facilities are opened.     

Greening ports and maritime logistics: A review

This paper aims to examine the past and present research on ‘green ports and maritime logistics’ in order to identify established research streams and fertile research areas with potential for future investigations. Using rigorous bibliometric and network analysis tools, the paper completes a systemic mapping of the existing literature and identifies the key investigators, collaboration patterns, research clusters and interrelationships, and the “seminal research areas” that have provided the field with the foundational knowledge, concepts, theories, tools, and techniques. Major articles within each seminal research area are also identified. This will allow new researchers to quickly build understanding in a particular sub-field by reading these major articles. The findings obtained from the evolution of seminal research areas over time are important from both research and practice perspectives and can help the field grow in many dimensions.     

川藏铁路建设工程物流管理特征与体系

物流管理是川藏铁路建设工程的重要内容,与工程质量、工期、成本等目标密切相关。川藏铁路建设工程所需物资种类繁多,需求量大,运输及储备受到现场施工环境的制约,管理难度极大。因此,建立一套科学有效的川藏铁路物流管理体系对于铁路建设的精准实施具有重要保障作用。本文通过分析川藏铁路的物流特征,解析川藏铁路物流管理全要素,结合物流特征及研究方法构建了包含物资保障管理,物流运作管理,通道建设管理的川藏铁路建设物流管理体系。最后,针对川藏铁路物流管理中面临的矛盾与挑战,提出了相应的对策建议。     

The private and social cost efficiency of port hinterland container distribution through a regional logistics system

Increasingly, the debate on freight transport and logistics involves the challenge of sustainable development. Key objectives of sustainable or “green” freight logistics systems are the mitigation of negative environmental and human health effects of distribution operations and the realization of a major modal shift in transport preferences, while at the same time achieving internal generalized cost efficiency and quality of services. Pursuing these goals requires the introduction of a range of measures. These measures call for private and public actors to take up various initiatives and adopt policies. Usually, it is more effective to combine different actions into an integrated package of measures than to introduce single instruments in isolation.This article explores the nexus between sustainability and port hinterland container logistics. In particular, the methodology and results of an empirical analysis based on applications of a network programming tool called the “interport model” are presented and discussed. The model enables an examination of all possible effects on inland container flows and their associated internal and external costs due to public and private initiatives in the field of port hinterland container logistics. The empirical analysis aims to evaluate the impact of a set of simultaneous policy options and operational measures on the competitiveness and sustainability of hinterland multimodal distribution of import and export containers handled at the seaports of the Campania region located in Southern Italy. The loading units can transit through the dry port facilities (the so called “interports”) located in the same region and/or through extra regional railway terminals, before reaching their ultimate inland destinations or the seaports. The integrated package of measures simulated by means of the model includes: (i) infrastructure policy, (ii) improvements of rail services, (iii) regulatory changes in terms of customs authorizations and procedures, (iv) removal of technical and legal barriers to fair and non-discriminatory competition in the market of rail traction between regional seaports and interports, (v) new business models integrating container logistics operations between seaports and interports, and (vi) social marginal cost charging of transport operations. Once this package of instruments is introduced, higher private and social cost efficiency of port hinterland container distribution through the investigated regional logistics system can be achieved. For instance, it has been estimated an annual saving of the order of about 12,660 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions from transport corresponding to an external cost reduction of 0.27 million euros from the observed real life situation, whereas the estimated saving in terms of air pollution (CO, NO_x, PM, SO₂, VOC) from transport is approximately 220 tonnes per year corresponding to an external benefit of 1.31 million euros.The most immediate priority appears to be the customs and intermodal logistics integration of seaports and interports by means of full implementation of the “extended gateway” concept as a way to increase the rail share of modal split and improve the overall cost efficiency of the system. In addition, the simultaneous introduction of a social marginal cost charging policy can contribute to make the regional interports a viable solution to expand the hinterland reach of the regional seaport cluster.     

A dispatching decision support system for countering delay propagation in intermodal logistics networks

This paper specifies a dispatching decision support system devoted to managing intermodal logistics operations while countering delay and delay propagation. When service disruptions occur within a logistics network where schedule coordination is employed, a dispatching control model determines through an optimization process whether each ready outbound vehicle should be dispatched immediately or held to wait for some late incoming vehicles. Decisions should consider potential missed-connection costs that may occur not only at the next transfer terminals but also at hubs located further downstream. Numerical examples and a sensitivity analysis with different slack time settings for attenuating delay propagation are presented.     

国家物流枢纽体系下多式联运物流园区开发模式研究

近年来,国家积极部署推进运输结构调整,大力发展多式联运,统筹推进国家物流枢纽布局建设,多式联运物流园区正迎来前所未有的建设发展机遇。但我国多式联运尚处于发展初级阶段,多式联运物流园区尚未形成一整套完整的全链条开发模式。通过梳理该类园区的主要类型、投资建设主体及建设模式,结合当前国家物流枢纽建设要求,提出国家物流枢纽体系下多式联运物流园区的开发趋势,为社会主体参与园区开发提供方向指引。     

An advanced solution for efficient logistics management at both company and network level

This paper proposes an advanced solution for efficient logistics management in urban areas based on a unified scheme able to address both static and dynamic decision making at a company and network level. The proposed solution generates the most efficient urban distribution plan utilizing an evolutionary metaheuristic approach and a backpressure framework that provide competitive scheduling and routing decisions. An empirical study based on real data is conducted assessing the performance of the proposed advanced solution and the reported results of the evaluation experiments demonstrate its generality and robustness.     

How the cap limit for food-crop-based biofuels may affect France’s stakeholders by 2030? A range-based multi-actor multi-criteria analysis

From 2012 to 2016, the long-term signal in the biofuel market changed almost once per year, leading to a drastic decrease in investments and contributing to multiple production unit closures in France and around Europe. The European Commission proposed a new renewable energy directive that includes a 3.8% cap limit on the contribution of food-crop biofuels by 2030. Given the role of biofuels in green growth, the bioeconomy, and renewable energy incorporation targets, how will this measure affect the stakeholders by 2030? Will it lead to, contribute to, or hamper their sustainability criteria? This paper aims to contribute to this debate by studying the case of France. To this end, our methodology—the range-based multi-actor multi-criteria analysis—aims to (1) explicitly consider the stakeholder groups and their sustainability criteria; (2) evaluate and compare how the cap limit will affect these sustainability criteria whether or not advanced biofuels are deployed by 2030; (3) capture the uncertainty of the context evolution and biofuel capacity to fulfil the stakeholders’ sustainability criteria by means of a Monte Carlo. The results suggest that the cap limit is a double-edged sword for the stakeholders and their sustainability criteria. Shifting towards advanced biofuels while limiting the food-crop biofuels is the better alternative for most of the stakeholders. Nevertheless, given biofuel policy instability and the lost confidence of investors, such a shift may not occur by 2030. In such a case, this paper demonstrates that the cap limit may highly and negatively affect the stakeholders and their sustainability targets, whereas fostering French food-crop biofuel production at its full capacity level constitutes a better alternative. As no alternative is suited to all actors simultaneously, this paper also studies the strengths and weaknesses of these alternatives from each stakeholder groups’ perspective.     

Unintended environmental impacts of nighttime freight logistics activities

In recent years, the reduction of freight vehicle trips during peak hours has been a common policy goal. To this end, policies have been implemented to shift logistics operations to nighttime hours. The purpose of such policies has generally been to mitigate congestion and environmental impacts. However, the atmospheric boundary layer is generally more stable during the night than the day. Consequently, shifting logistics operations to the night may increase 24-h average concentrations of diesel exhaust pollutants in many locations. This paper presents realistic scenarios for two California cities, which provide diesel exhaust concentration and human intake estimates after temporal redistributions of daily logistics operations. Estimates are made for multiple redistribution patterns, including from 07:00–19:00 to 19:00–07:00, similar to daytime congestion charging polices, and from 03:00–18:00 to 18:00–03:00, corresponding to the PierPASS program at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Results for these two redistribution scenarios indicate that 24-h average exhaust concentrations would increase at most locations in California, and daily human intake is likely to worsen or be unimproved at best. These results are shown to be worse for inland than coastal settings, due to differences in meteorology. Traffic congestion effects are considered, using a new graphical method, which depicts how off-peak policies can be environmentally improving or damaging, depending on traffic speeds and meteorology.     

Quantifying the environmental and economic benefits of cooperation: A case study in temperature-controlled food logistics

Inefficient road transportation causes unnecessary costs and polluting emissions. This problem is even more severe in refrigerated transportation, in which temperature control is used to guarantee the quality of the products. Organizing logistics cooperatively can help decrease both the environmental and the economic impacts. In Joint Route Planning (JRP) cooperation, suppliers and customers jointly optimize routing decisions so that cost and emissions are minimized. Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) cooperation extends JRP cooperation by optimizing routing and inventory planning decisions simultaneously. However, in addition to their economic advantages, VMI and JRP may also yield environmental benefits. To test this assertion, we perform a case study on cooperation between a number of supermarket chains in the Netherlands. The data of this case study are analyzed to quantify both the economic and environmental benefits of implementing cooperation via JRP and VMI, using vehicle routing and an inventory routing models. We found that JRP cooperation can substantially reduce cost and emissions compared with uncooperative routing. In addition, VMI cooperation can further reduce cost and emissions, but minimizing cost and minimizing emissions no longer result in the same solution and there is a trade-off to be made.     

The role of telematics applications in shaping the new road freight transport scene in Europe

The Road Freight Transport scene in Europe is undergoing significant changes. The main driving forces shaping the new operating environment for road freight operations (RFO) in the EEC include: the EEC transport policy; the changing demands of shippers; and developments in road transport informatics (RTI) applications. The role of RTI in the new scene is crucial and a pan‐European strategy is required for their evolution and diffusion towards achieving objectives such as efficiency, environmental protection, and safety. In studying this, alternative scenarios were devised for the development of RFO in the next 20 years in Europe. For every scenario the most important RFO activities were identified and the possibility for serving these scenario‐specific activities by various RTI technologies was evaluated and relevant strategies were developed. Finally, at this stage of the work using multicriteria analysis the most important RTI technologies to be promoted by governments were identified.