Sustainability in transport logistics – fleets and alternative traction

Road freight transport by HGV (>12 tonnes) causes about 25 % of all emissions in German road transport. However, the road is the mainstay of German logistics. Approximately 86 % of all goods and commodities are transported by road. Despite significantly lower CO2 emissions in shipping or rail freight transport, the flexibility and connectivity advantages of road freight transport cannot be compensated for, so that road will remain the mainstay of freight supply, with increasing pressure to become more sustainable.

Questions to be Answered

What are challenges? Which experiences have been made so far by fleet owners and charterers? What are future expectations? How many companies already measure their carbon emissions?

All these questions revolve around sustainable road freight. Therefore, HERE Technologies, DHL and the Bundesvereinigung Logistik e. V. joined forces to examine the subject and to provide insights as well as solutions.

Project Partners

DHL

DHL Freight is one of the leading providers of road freight services in Europe and, together with DHL Global Forwarding, forms the freight forwarding division of Deutsche Post DHL Group. Thanks to its international network of 208 terminals in more than 40 countries, DHL Freight’s 13,000 employees provide flexible, reliable and efficient land, intermodal and rail transport solutions for Europe-wide groupage and general cargo shipments (incl. express shipments), part and full loads.

HERE

HERE Technologies is a location data and technology company that created the first digital map over 35 years ago. Today we are the world’s leading location platform company with a global footprint across 52 countries. We have a strong presence in the automotive industry, and we also work with leading companies across a wide range of industries, including transport and logistics, mobility, manufacturing and retail and the public sector.

BVL_Logo_klein

BVL International – The Global Supply Chain Network is an open network of people who are actively engaged in an efficient cooperation in the globalized economy.

Its core objective is to convey the importance of supply chain management and logistics – as well as to promote their application and development.

Methodology

Survey

The Survey was sent out to the BVL Network and included 30 questions about sustainability efforts and current fleet composition. Furthermore, the respondents were asked to name challenges and obstacles that have to be overcome to establish a sustainable road freight transport.

Data Analysis

In the Data Analysis part of the project the tool „CO2 Insights“ from HERE Technologies was employed. The tool allows fleet managers to get an overview over the current routes and the optimization potential related to employing alternative drives.

Workshop

The workshop carried out on the 15th of September of 2022 gathered 11 experts from the BVL network. Including researchers and practioners to critically review results of the data analysis and the survey.

Interviews with Workshop Participants

Prof. Dr. Hanno Friedrich
Associate Professor of Freight Transportation – Modelling and Policy
Kühne Logistics University

Prof. Dr. Christian Kille
Professor for Retail Logistics and Operations Management
University of Applied Sciences Würzburg

Claas Bunjes
Leitung Mobility & Digital Solutions
L.I.T. CARGO GmbH

Dennis Caldwell
Future Energy & Transport Manager
Hermes Germany GmbH

Survey Facts

July 04th to September 12th of 2022

Online survey in the BVL network (sample size = 117)

Sustainability efforts in road freight transport with a focus on alternative traction technologies

Fleet and logistics managers with insight on the vehicles used

Excerpt

HERE Slide

Contact Form to Download the Survey Results and Data Analytics