Tuesday, November 19th, 2024
On 6 November 2024, the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe (ALICE) and the Japan Physical Internet Center (JPIC) formalised their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to become Liaison Partners.
This agreement reflects the shared vision of ALICE and JPIC to promote and develop the Physical Internet (PI) concept as a cornerstone of sustainable, efficient logistics addressing growing constrains on transportation capacity. By leveraging their combined expertise and networks, the organisations aim to accelerate innovation, facilitate standardisation, and enhance public awareness of the transformative potential of the PI for logistics and supply chain management globally.
Key objectives of the partnership:
Learning from the Japanese experience
Recognising the challenges facing Japan’s logistics industry, known as the “2024 Problem,” the Japanese government has introduced legislative reforms to improve logistics efficiency and sustainability. Notable measures include mandatory appointment of Chief Logistics Officers for large shippers and logistics operators with the mandate to increase efficiency and sustainability of logistics and transportation; encouraging vertical and horizontal collaboration between companies to pool and share resources and reduce inefficiencies; and promoting the use of automated transport, robotics and digital technologies. These initiatives aim to improve loading efficiency, reduce waiting times, with the goal to provide additional transport capacity in a growing demand economy and pave the way for sustainable growth in logistics.
The PI offers a transformative framework for addressing these challenges. By treating logistics as a globally interconnected system, it enables asset sharing, improved resource allocation, and a significant reduction in environmental impact, also supporting and affordable transition of assets and energies.
Shared vision and complementary missions
JPIC envisions achieving “ultimate open collaborative logistics” through the Physical Internet, in line with its mission to reform logistics in Japan through standardisation, platform development, and human resource training. ALICE, as a leading European logistics innovation network, prioritises zero-emission freight and the transition to sustainable logistics enabled by the PI.
The signing of this MoU demonstrates the commitment of ALICE and JPIC to unite industry efforts across continents. This partnership not only strengthens the ties between Europe and Japan, but also lays a solid foundation for driving impactful change in the logistics landscape.