Digitalisation has taken over almost every area of life and changed the way we operate. Although digitalisation has progressed rapidly in many fields, logistics is still on its way towards a full digital transition. I often wonder why digitalisation related to logistics is so difficult to achieve, even though the needs and means for it are often easily available. Are we too used to holding on to what is familiar and safe, even if the change is already knocking on the door? After the COVID-19 years and the crisis in Ukraine at the latest, every company has started looking for efficiency, transparency and reliability in both processes and customer encounters. This can be expected to finally mean a digital leap in the logistics sector as well.
Logistics chains are complex entities, often involving several different actors, all of whom may have old systems of their own. Developing and renewing these would require large investments and resources. Diversity and different development structures in the various sectors make the promotion of digitalisation in logistics challenging. In addition, common standardisation is needed in the various logistics sectors so that different parties can work together seamlessly. Standardisation of processes in one domain alone is not enough if the sender and the forwarding company are going in different directions in standardisation. Ensuring the compatibility of old systems and operating methods and finding and standardising common factors between different sectors is one of the biggest obstacles to large-scale digitalisation in logistics.
How can this common standardisation be promoted? Could the centralised datahub entities of different sectors and ports/airports/logistics centres be seen as a solution for promoting the digitalisation of logistics and supporting the development of the entire sector? Datahubs are aimed at creating centralised multimodal services that receive and standardise the data needed in logistics and make that data available to all actors needed in the logistics chain. This enables compatibility between different actors and services through a datahub. The datahub can serve as a centre that collects, combines and shares information between different actors, thus facilitating the flow of information and cooperation. In addition, the datahub can serve as a basis for developing new commercial solutions and as a provider of value-added services. Datahubs at different locations can be combined into a comprehensive network at a national level, and it can be ensured that in every sector information flows according to commonly agreed rules.
Datahub projects allow different actors in the logistics sector to transfer their data to a single location where it can be standardised and refined into useful information. This improves transparency and efficiency throughout the logistics chain. For example, transport monitoring, routing, inventory management and ordering processes can benefit from unified services provided by datahubs and enable real-time monitoring and reporting in completely new ways (CO2 reporting, shipment temperature monitoring, etc.).
At the airport, a project has been launched in cooperation with various actors with the aim of outlining what kind of a datahub entity could bring added value to air freight logistics. Preliminary analyses have identified potential for different purposes of use and involvement of various actors. The criteria and need for launching the first pilots around the datahub project could be identified particularly through different official and pass-through processes and development targets related to CO2 reporting.
Cooperation between different actors and the launch of pilots around the datahub project are first steps towards more efficient and interoperable air cargo logistics. These measures can contribute to the exploitation of digital solutions and create a stronger basis for the future development of both air cargo and the entire logistics sector.
Writer is Tommi Voss, Head of Cargo Operations, Finnair Cargo.
