At the 2026 edition of the Transport Research Arena (TRA), held in Budapest from 18th to 21st of May, OPEN ENLoCC was proud to contribute to the European discussion on the future of logistics and freight transport through a presentation dedicated to Regional Collaborative Logistics (RCL).
During the conference, Riccardo Maratini, Programme Manager at OPEN ENLoCC, presented the paper “Strategic Challenges, Opportunities and Enablers of Efficient Regional Collaborative Logistics”, co-authored together with representatives from ITL – Institute for Transport and Logistics and the University of Maribor.
The presentation explored how logistics systems can become more efficient, resilient and sustainable through stronger collaboration among regional stakeholders, highlighting the strategic importance of the regional dimension as the “middle layer” between urban logistics systems and long-distance transport corridors.
Why Regional Collaborative Logistics matters
As underlined by Riccardo Maratini during the presentation, Regional Collaborative Logistics focuses on the coordinated use of infrastructures, resources and information among supply chain actors operating within the same regional ecosystem. Rather than optimizing logistics activities in isolation, RCL promotes a shift toward system-wide performance through structured and long-term collaboration.
The concept is particularly relevant in a context where logistics systems are increasingly challenged by supply chain disruptions, environmental and decarbonisation targets, growing urbanisation, infrastructure bottlenecks, and geopolitical uncertainty.
As highlighted during the presentation, collaborative approaches can generate significant benefits, including:
- lower operational costs,
- reduced emissions and empty mileage,
- improved use of infrastructures,
- and stronger resilience against disruptions.
The paper “Strategic Challenges, Opportunities and Enablers of Efficient Regional Collaborative Logistics” – the result of a joint effort carried out by OPEN ENLoCC together with ITL – Institute for Transport and Logistics and the University of Maribor – also underlines that regions should not simply be interpreted as administrative areas, but rather as functional logistics ecosystems, where interactions among shippers, logistics service providers, infrastructure operators and public authorities can create opportunities for integrated and coordinated action.
From fragmented Logistics to collaborative ecosystems
A key message emerging from the presentation is that collaboration in logistics is still limited in practice, especially among SMEs.
The analysis conducted within the OPEN ENLoCC network confirmed that the current level of horizontal collaboration, particularly in areas such as truck sharing, data exchange and joint planning, remains relatively low across many European regions.
Among the main barriers identified:
- low trust among operators,
- reluctance to share sensitive data,
- strong competitive dynamics,
- limited awareness of collaborative benefits,
- technological and knowledge gaps,
- and institutional or regulatory limitations.
The presentation stressed that these obstacles are not only technological, but also behavioural and organisational. As a result, enabling Regional Collaborative Logistics requires more than isolated digital tools, it demands the creation of favourable ecosystem conditions and governance frameworks capable of supporting long-term cooperation.
The role of technology as an enabler
An important part of the presentation focused on the enabling role of emerging technologies in fostering collaboration. The research identified a broad range of technological enablers that can support RCL, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, blockchain, digital twins, automation, and the Physical Internet paradigm. These technologies can help reduce transaction costs, improve transparency, optimise routing and consolidation processes, and facilitate secure information sharing among stakeholders.
Particular attention was devoted to the concept of the Physical Internet, which proposes a modular, standardised and openly accessible logistics network capable of enabling more flexible and collaborative freight systems.
The presentation also highlighted that the most transformative impact is unlikely to come from single technologies in isolation. Instead, meaningful progress depends on the integration of technological and organisational enablers within coherent governance and policy frameworks.
Collaboration and resilience
Another key theme discussed at TRA 2026 was the relationship between Regional Collaborative Logistics and resilience of logistics corridors.
The paper illustrates how collaborative regional ecosystems can help logistics systems remain operational during disruptive events. Examples referenced during the presentation included the floods in Wallonia in 2021 and the earthquake in Emilia-Romagna in 2012, where access to shared infrastructures helped smaller companies continue operating despite local disruptions.
This perspective reinforces the idea that collaboration is not only a matter of efficiency or sustainability, but also a strategic capability for ensuring continuity and adaptability in increasingly uncertain environments.
The importance of Governance and neutral facilitation
The presentation concluded by emphasising that Regional Collaborative Logistics can only scale successfully when supported by trust-building mechanisms, neutral governance structures, standardised rules for data and cost sharing, and clear commitments from both public and private stakeholders.
In this context, logistics competence centres, regional development agencies and chambers of commerce can play a key role as neutral intermediaries or “offline trustees”, facilitating dialogue, supporting pilot initiatives and helping stakeholders move from isolated experiments toward stable collaborative ecosystems.
OPEN ENLoCC is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the discussion at TRA 2026 and to share its ongoing work on Regional Collaborative Logistics with the wider European transport and logistics community. Events such as TRA play a key role in fostering dialogue among researchers, policymakers and industry stakeholders, helping to strengthen collaboration and accelerate innovation towards more resilient and sustainable logistics systems.
Special thanks go to all the authors and partners involved in the development of the paper and presentation, in particular the colleagues from ITL – Institute for Transport and Logistics and the University of Maribor, whose contribution was fundamental in advancing this joint work.
The presentation delivered by Riccardo Maratini during TRA 2026 is available for download below:
Click to Download the Presentation
The paper “Strategic Challenges, Opportunities and Enablers of Efficient Regional Collaborative Logistics” will be published inthe Lecture Notes in Mobility series of Springer Nature. Further information on how to access and download the paper will be shared as soon as available.
