We just said goodbye to 2018 and at EccoFreight we wanted to go over the most important news happening in the sector in 2018, so that we can provide you with a summary on the trends and data that have marked the last twelve months in the maritime transport and logistics sector. Keep reading to learn more!
Digitization: Blockchain and automation
New shopping trends together with the proliferation of new technologies in all sectors necessarily drive the logistics sector forward on its path towards digital transformation. With the e-commerce sector increasingly growing every year, producers expect an increasingly agile and efficient service from the logistics sector in order to meet consumer’s growing demand for immediacy. In this context, technologies such as automation and blockchain seek to get their own space in the supply chain.
A strong highlight of the year was the blockchain initiative carried out by Carrefour. This French grocer has become a pioneer in the sector with the implementation of a new blockchain system that allows consumers to access all the information on the product purchased. The company has chosen free-range chicken as the first product to test this new tool, and has made QR codes available to consumers on each package. With these WR codes consumers can access every detail regarding the raising, treatment and packaging of the product.
On the other hand, the Spanish Port of Valencia has chosen automation for its expansion works on the Northern extension, which is expected to be completed in five years. As reported by Cadena de Suministro, “future franchisees of the Northern extension will be asked to have their container terminals either automated or semi-automated.”
Growth
The Spanish Observatory of Transport and Logistics points out that this year both sectors have experienced much higher growth than other sectors in the country, not only in economic terms but also in terms of employment. The data shows a <3% stable growth in the last four years, higher to that of Spain’s GDP, and also shows that the sector has brought up to 900,000 new jobs in the country.
E-commerce plays a key role in the country, as according to the data provided by the Spanish Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC), the sector made more than 8,900 million euros in Spain in the first quarter of 2018, representing an increase of 32.8% over the previous year.
Spain
Spanish ports have experienced an increase in container traffic with respect to the previous year.
According to Spanish magazine Cadena de Suministro, the port of Barcelona “has moved up to 62.1 million tons of goods in the first eleven months of 2018, 11.4% more than in 2017.” 3.1 million containers (TEUs) have stopped by the Catalan port in the last year, representing an increase of 15% over the previous year. In more detail, container transshipment would have increased by 33.6%, with exports growing by 6% and imports by 3%, with a total of 691,000 and 535,690 TEUs each.
Also, the magazine notes that the Port Authority of Castellón has experienced an increase of 15.5% in freight traffic between January and November 2018, with 19,409,226 tons of products registered.
EccoFreight’s 2018
At EccoFreight we keep growing and working on our commitment to make more sustainable and technological logistics possible.
Thanks to our Technofreight tool, both us and our customers can make an annual balance of freight traffic and CO2 emissions. Do you want to know the latest data for 2018?
We have moved 21,952 TEUs that have transported products and projects of all types: from food and products for human consumption, to tanks housing all sorts of liquid products, and transport for renewable energy projects. In addition, we have measured 50,104 tons of CO2 in order to know the impact of the transport carried out and thus be able to make decisions towards an increasingly sustainable future.
2018 has been a great year, but 2019 comes with great news and we are looking forward to telling you more. Will you join us?
