Physical Internet and the Key steps to Innovation-driven supply chain transformation towards Green, Affordable, scalable and collaborative Zero-EmIssions Freight Transport solutions

IKIGAI, inspired by the Japanese concept combining “iki” (meaning “alive”) and “gai” (meaning “worth”), aims to accelerate the realisation of the PI by 2040 and achieve decarbonised freight transport and logistics by 2050. The project focuses on the establishment of affordable, collaborative, and coordinated Systems of Logistics Networks across Europe. It promotes the adoption of open standardised processes to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions, aligning with the UN 2030 sustainable development agenda. IKIGAI will scale up five complementary and forward-looking Logistics Innovations (LIs) (advancing them from TRL5 to 8, looking also into other scalability aspects e.g. regulation, market and social), building collaboration on shared resources and capacity, respect, openness, transparency and trust: [LI1] Online and offline trustee matchmaking and volume pooling for electrification and increased intermodality, [LI2] eFTI compliance Collaborative Service Platform for SMEs, [LI3] Smart and synchromodal hubs for hyperconnected urban logistics, [LI4] Intelligent, standard end-to-end chain of custody for carbon emission calculation, [LI5] Open volume pooled governance for reusable standard modular boxes. Recognising that companies can better evolve collaboratively, aligning logistics and decarbonisation within a unified transition path, IKIGAI will drive the Twin Transition to net-zero logistics by mobilising an open and collaborative ecosystem of global supply chain players committed to systemic change. Beyond adopting the LIs and testing them in real-world pilots, IKIGAI will re-engineer supply chain logistics services (Sx) such as volume pooling/asset sharing, warehousing, freight forwarding/intermodality, cross-docking and last-mile delivery.