Creating the Internet of Logistics
but the real structure could be much more
complex considering several layers of
product packages and returnable transport
items when looking at the entire supply
chain from manufacturer to consumer. In
one transport leg, what is considered
product package could be the Transport Unit
in the next leg. As Figure 2 describes, there
could also be layers omitted and phantom
layers added in order to cater to specific
business processes.
Packages in packages - which package?
In addition, logistics have the characteristics
of nested objects. As an example, consider
transport where the boxes go on a pallet,
pallet in a container and container on a
truck. And this nesting can of course change
over the transport modes and business
setup between the partners in the supply
chain. International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) have defined a general
structure 2 as shown below (see Figure 2),
Figure 2: ISO Layers in Logistics. This is copyright protected material reproduced from part of Standard SS-ISO 17363:2013 with
due permission given to Ericsson from the Swedish Institute for Standards, who holds the copyright to the Standard and sells the
standard, www.sis.se. Copying and distribution is strictly forbidden.
Considering that within the International
Federation
of
Freight
Forwarders
Associations (FIATA) there are 40,000
forwarders—adding road transport with
some 1,000,000 members in the
International Road Union (IRU)—connecting
Globalization
The increased globalization has also
multiplied the digitization challenge where
most companies today would have a global
supply chain involving companies from many
different countries and regulatory areas.
2
ISO Layers in Logistics, Standard SS-ISO 17363:2013
IIC Journal of Innovation
- 14 -