Accepted abstract to present at the CSCMP European Research Seminar (ERS 2024) on Logistics & SCM, to be held on June 20-21, 2024, in Warsaw, Poland.
Western-European consumers have become not only more demanding on product availability in retail outlets but also on other food attributes such as quality, integrity, and safety. When (re)designing food supply-chain networks, from a logistics point of view, one has to consider these demands next to traditional efficiency and responsiveness requirements. The concept ‘quality controlled logistics’ (QCL) hypothesizes that if product quality in each step of the supply chain can be predicted in advance, goods flows can be controlled in a pro-active manner and better chain designs can be established resulting in higher product availability, constant quality, and less product losses. The paper discusses opportunities of using real-time product quality information for improvement of the design and management of ‘AgriFood Supply Chain Networks’, and presents a preliminary diagnostic instrument for assessment of ‘critical quality’ and ‘logistics control’ points in the supply chain network. Results of a tomato-chain case illustrate the added value of the QCL concept for identifying improvement opportunities in the supply chain as to increase both product availability and quality. Future research aims for the further development of the diagnostic instrument and the quantification of costs and benefits of QCL scenarios.
Although urban agriculture as a way to come to sustainable urban food systems can be questioned and we have to be aware not falling into a ‘local trap’ regarding its benefits (Born & Purcell, 2006), initiatives for urban agriculture emerge all over the world. Some of these primarily focus on achieving social and educational goals while others try to become an (high tech) alternative to existing food supply chains. Whichever the goals of urban agriculture, in practice many of these initiatives have difficulties in their (logistics) operations. Research on urban agriculture and local‐for‐local food supply chains mainly focuses on environmental and economic benefits, alternative production techniques, short food supply chains (logistics infrastructure) or socio‐economic benefits of urban agriculture. So far, the alignment of urban agriculture goals with the chosen logistics concept – which includes more aspects than only infrastructure – has not gained much attention. This paper tries to fill this gap through an exploration of urban agriculture projects – both low and high tech – from around the world by using the integrated logistics concept (Van Goor et al., 2003). The main question to be answered in this paper is: to what extend can the integrated logistics concept contribute to understanding logistics drivers and barriers of urban agriculture projects? To answer this question, different urban agriculture projects were studied through information on their websites and an internet based questionnaire with key players in these projects. Our exploration shows that the ILC is a useful tool for determining logistics drivers and barriers and that there is much potential in using this concept when planning for successful urban agriculture projects.
MULTIFILE
PBL is the initiator of the Work Programme Monitoring and Management Circular Economy 2019-2023, a collaboration between CBS, CML, CPB, RIVM, TNO, UU. Holidays and mobility are part of the consumption domains that PBL researches, and this project aims to calculate the environmental gains per person per year of the various circular behavioural options for both holiday behaviour and daily mobility. For both behaviours, a range of typical (default) trips are defined and for each several circular option explored for CO2 emissions, Global warming potential and land use. The holiday part is supplied by the Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport (CSTT) of the BUas Academy of Tourism (AfT). The mobility part is carried out by the Urban Intelligence professorship of the Academy for Built Environment and Logistics (ABEL).The research question is “what is the environmental impact of various circular (behavioural) options around 1) holidays and 2) passenger mobility?” The consumer perspective is demarcated as follows:For holidays, transportation and accommodation are included, but not food, attractions visited and holiday activitiesFor mobility, it concerns only the circular options of passenger transport and private means of transport (i.e. freight transport, business travel and commuting are excluded). Not only some typical trips will be evaluated, but also the possession of a car and its alternatives.For the calculations, we make use of public databases, our own models and the EAP (Environmental Analysis Program) model developed by the University of Groningen. BUAs projectmembers: Centre for Sustainability, Tourism and Transport (AT), Urban Intelligence (ABEL).
LEVV-LOGIC presenteert een voorstel voor onderzoek naar de inzet van lichte elektrische vrachtvoertuigen (LEVV’s) voor de levering van goederen in steden. In dit project ontwikkelen de Hogeschool van Amsterdam en Hogeschool Rotterdam samen met logistiek dienstverleners, verladers en voertuigaanbieders uit het mkb, netwerkorganisaties, kennisinstellingen en gemeenten nieuwe kennis over logistieke concepten en business modellen met LEVV met als doel de rendabele inzet van LEVV’s in stadslogistiek. De doelstelling komt voort uit een vraag van logistiek dienstverleners uit het mkb. Zij willen LEVV’s inzetten, maar weten niet hoe ze dit rendabel kunnen doen omdat de huidige logistieke processen in de keten afgestemd zijn op de inzet van bestel- en vrachtvoertuigen. Voor overstap naar LEVV’s dienen de logistieke processen anders georganiseerd te worden, want de voertuigen zijn kleiner in omvang en hebben een andere laad- en energievoorziening. Daarnaast is onvoldoende duidelijk voor welke stadslogistieke stromen LEVV’s geschikt zijn en aan welke technische eisen de voertuigen moeten voldoen. Verladers (verzenders van goederen) en voertuigaanbieders zijn actief betrokken bij de uitvoering van het onderzoek om afstemming met de marktvraag en de techniek te garanderen. De projectdeelnemers delen de ambitie om met LEVV’s een bijdrage te leveren aan regionale, nationale en Europese doelstellingen om stedelijk goederenvervoer efficiënter en schoner (“zero emissie”) te organiseren. Het project draagt hier aan bij door middel van vijf activiteiten. De deelnemers in LEVV-LOGIC: 1. onderzoeken de potentie van LEVV voor specifieke stadslogistieke stromen (waaronder food-, webwinkel-, en facilitaire leveringen); 2. ontwerpen nieuwe logistieke concepten met LEVV voor de distributie van goederen van verzender naar ontvanger; 3. vertalen logistieke vereisten naar technische ontwerpen en aanpassingen aan bestaande LEVV’s; 4. experimenten met nieuwe LEVV-concepten in de praktijk; 5. ontwikkelen schaalbare business modellen met LEVV’s. Het project verzekert een sterke relatie met praktijk en wetenschap, omdat zij via haar deelnemers verbonden is aan de Topsector Logistiek, de Green Deal Zero Emissie Stadslogistiek, de Europese federatie voor Cycle Logistics en de Europese onderzoeksprojecten FREVUE (FP7) en CITYLAB (Horizon2020). Via de betrokkenheid van drie lectoren en zes opleidingen van twee hogescholen wordt een brede inzet van de resultaten in het onderwijs gerealiseerd. LEVV-LOGIC hanteert een multidisciplinaire aanpak met aandacht voor de rol van logistiek, techniek, beleid en gedrag. Hiermee versterkt het project professionals van nu en van de toekomst met kennis om problemen in stadslogistiek op te lossen.
Our country contains a very dense and challenging transport and mobility system. National research agendas and roadmaps of multiple sectors such as HTSM, Logistics and Agri&food, promote vehicle automation as a means to increase transport safety and efficiency. SMEs applying vehicle automation require compliance to application/sector specific standards and legislation. A key aspect is the safety of the automated vehicle within its design domain, to be proven by manufacturers and assessed by authorities. The various standards and procedures show many similarities but also lead to significant differences in application experience and available safety related solutions. For example: Industrial AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) have been around for many years, while autonomous road vehicles are only found in limited testing environments and pilots. Companies are confronted with an increasing need to cover multiple application environments, such restricted areas and public roads, leading to complex technical choices and parallel certification/homologation procedures. SafeCLAI addresses this challenge by developing a framework for a generic safety layer in the control of autonomous vehicles that can be re-used in different applications across sectors. This is done by extensive consolidation and application of cross-sectoral knowledge and experience – including analysis of related standards and procedures. The framework promises shorter development times and enables more efficient assessment procedures. SafeCLAI will focus on low-speed applications since they are most wanted and technically best feasible. Nevertheless, higher speed aspects will be considered to allow for future extension. SafeCLAI will practically validate (parts) of the foreseen safety layer and publish the foreseen framework as a baseline for future R&D, allowing coverage of broader design domains. SafeCLAI will disseminate the results in the Dutch arena of autonomous vehicle development and application, and also integrate the project learnings into educational modules.
