The Logistica Smart project, a national study that aims at “intelligent” logistics through the formulation of concrete proposals for the eco-sustainable evolution of the road transport sector and for the improvement of the air quality of Italian cities, has been completed. Three webinars illustrated the opportunities on the ground.

The Logistica Smart research project is promoted by the Register of Road Transport of the Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility (MIMS) which has identified the Institute on Atmospheric Pollution of the National Research Council (CNR-IIA) as a scientific partner for the formulation of a real roadmap that aims to rationalize the freight transport sector, in particular in the urban area, and to promote within it a decarbonization strategy that passes through the energy transition, digital transformation, regulatory simplification. The project, with careful observation and participation as an interested party of ANCI, the National Association of Italian Municipalities, addresses the problems relating to the goods distribution sector, a sector in enormous growth, whose service expectations are increasingly pressing on the part of citizens and businesses as well as the externalities that, its unaccompanied or managed development, can make unmanageable: pollution, road congestion, but also noise and obvious conflicts with other modes of transport.

The analysis carried out as well as the roadmap presented and the tools created during the project allow not only to have greater awareness and knowledge of the distribution logistics infrastructure at national level, in close correlation with the local and urban distribution system, at the same time solutions for greater sustainability of the logistics system through the reduction of CO2 emissions, noise and atmospheric pollution, but also to identify a way for the evolution, digitalisation and decarbonisation of the sector.

"The project demonstrates that applying the transition to more efficient and sustainable technologies can improve air quality and have positive social and economic impacts", says Francesco Petracchini, Director of the CNR-IIA, who continues: "The adoption of urban rules and tools aimed at the functional and sustainable organization of logistics services is a necessary aspect for the transition towards greater environmental sustainability that must be undertaken by administrations in order to achieve the results expected from the national strategic objectives and set Europeans. Local and national legislators play an important role in mitigating the negative externalities of logistics and it is necessary to establish a participatory and constructive path with all operators so that the logistics sector can really tend towards greater sustainability, hopefully favored by an inclusive process. , which does not leave behind any aspect and any knot of the supply chain ».

Another important aspect that emerged thanks to the project lies in the importance of the management and organization of logistics, aspects that pose considerable challenges also in light of what happened following the pandemic emergency which resulted in a significant increase in the demand for services. This growing demand has accelerated the drive towards digitization which in turn will increasingly require new skills and professions with a potential positive impact on the number and quality of new employees. Going from muscular work to digital work is undoubtedly one of the most interesting topics in the current Italian and international logistics panorama. The same growing attention to the environment can offer new employment opportunities to figures in charge of controlling emissions or to managers who deal with sustainable innovation.

In order to share the evidence that emerged and to support the change towards the solutions identified during the project, the CNR-IIA, in collaboration with the Register of road hauliers, organized three webinars focused on three key aspects that can effectively support the transition of the sector:

The energy transition in the urban logistics sector, a webinar held on 25 May, presented the tools and possibilities that operators have to implement an energy transition of logistics, presenting the state of the art of technologies, the environmental benefits of decarbonisation and a detailed roadmap to achieve it.

The legislation for simplification in the urban logistics sector, webinar held on 8 June 2021, focused instead on the impact that clear and innovative rules can give to the transition towards sustainability of logistics in the urban environment. During the meeting some good practices implemented by the Municipalities in regulating the transport of goods were presented. A reflection was then started on how good legislation, which uses the governance tools available (first of all PUMS and Urban Logistics Plans), can concretely improve the distribution of goods with positive effects on the lives of citizens who use the services. and logistics operators.

Finally, Digital transformation in the urban logistics sector, webinar held on June 22, aimed to illustrate the digital tools that help simplify and optimize the flow of goods transport, demonstrating that digital infrastructures for logistics are an important ally for greater sustainability in the sector.

The results are available on the website: www.logisticasmart.it

 The webinars can be viewed on the CNR-IIA youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjKfCQfrEAK3WHu-D_p6ROA