Joanna James
With the dawn of a new decade, the global transportation and logistics field has taken a fresh look at how it does business and adopted a change in attitude towards several issues. Here are some of the main takeaways.
Like most businesses and industrial spheres, the global transportation and logistics sector has also come to realise the environmental aspects of some of its key functions. The issue of sustainability has come to the forefront as those who are involved in this sphere consider the way in which global transportation and logistics companies carry out their daily tasks can be transformed to minimise the harm to the environment in the long run. The need for change in existing work methodologies and policies is clear and more and more companies are showing interest in finding new ways and new structures to replace the old ones that are no longer sustainable due to the damage done to the environment and mother earth as a whole. Factoring sustainability into the company's main purpose, those in the supply chain, for example, are more likely to focus on environmentally sound practices rather than meeting demands and bemoaning the cost of these changes in operation.
One does not need to witness the number of vessels that pass through global container terminal hubs to discern that the transportation industry is the biggest culprit when it comes to releasing greenhouse gases into the earth's atmosphere. The sheer number of goods transported through the South Asia Gateway Terminals and others speaks to the growing demand for products due to high levels of consumption around the world. The only feasible solution to reduce the environmental impact of this trend is to use battery-powered or electrified vehicles that do not need to burn fossil fuels to function. Renewable energy sources will help keep the supply chain afloat regardless of the growth in demand and consumption while safeguarding the environment.
Technology has thus far proved to be a detriment to the society where social values are concerned. However, one cannot deny the transformative power of technology to innovate creative solutions fit for the future. 5G technologies is one such threshold that is making waves in the global transportation and logistics field this decade as it will be able to handle a greater load of data and connect devices to make warehouse work a far more seamless process. Augmented Reality devices, for example, do not require much latency and can streamline the selection process in warehouses. Real-time footage of this process can be transformed into 3D models that can help warehouse employees determine the best positioning.
Due to the digitisation, robotisation and the forthcoming dependence on artificial intelligence to carry out key functions in the supply chain, the types of individuals that will excel at transportation and logistics occupations will also change from those who are more adept at learning and using new technologies.
Although freight carriers and ships that run on batteries are not still an option available to those in the global transportation and logistics sector, more and more companies will be looking to replace traditional fuels with more environmentally sound alternatives including liquefied natural gas.
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