Enabling Smart and Green Logistics

Efficient freight and logistics services govern the day-to-day operations of supply chains that underpin the intra-EU and international flow of goods and materials. This is key for the competitiveness and growth of the European economy. Mirroring global trends, the European freight and logistics sector has demonstrated steady growth over the past decade. And this trend is set to continue.

However, while this growth brings jobs and economic prosperity, it also comes with challenges, such as congestion and high costs for the environment. As the transport sector is responsible for a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), we must make our transport system, including freight and logistics services, more sustainable – in line with the European Green Deal’s aim to reduce transport-related GHG emissions by 90% in the EU by 2050. The transport system should also be safe and offer resilience in case of local, regional, or global disruptions.

In CINEA, we are responsible for the implementation of a €477.9 million portfolio of EU research and innovation (R&I) projects – funded under the EU’s flagship research programmes, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe – aiming at smarter, less polluting and more energy-efficient freight transport and logistics operations.

This brochure provides a snapshot of a representative sample of these projects and their results. This includes innovations in supply chain management and urban logistics, last-mile delivery robots, automated delivery vehicles, and data sharing modelling, among others.