We all know that logistics has formed part of society since ancient times, as we explained in a previous article, and that technological advances have allowed us to perfect administration techniques and efficiency.

Now, however, a new challenge has presented itself. There is a shortage of HGV drivers, principally on international roads and now extending to port complexes, resulting in a failure to meet market demand. This is damaging to both present and future clients as well as the logistics companies themselves.

We all know that in a world like ours, where immediacy rules above all other criteria, logistics is key. So, to make it clear to all of us, let us go back to the start to define what logistics is.

Normally, when we think about a company and the sectors involved in running it, logistics is not one of the first that comes to mind. However, this gradually seems to be changing, as the international market is increasingly more interactive with a public that is growing in terms of demand.

What is logistics exactly? Simply put, logistics is the process which consists of coordinating and moving the resources a company has produced or possesses to the desired location. This situation mainly arises when the products or raw materials need to be transported from the warehouse to stores, points of sale or distributors.

No matter how far back in time we look, to a lesser or greater degree logistics has always been present. Hand in hand with technological advances, it has always provided a response to the new and chameleonic needs of society. Logistics has evolved, expanded and consolidated, becoming the axis of its great validator, globalisation.

New technologies are playing an increasingly important role in the day-to-day lives of humans and the world of transport and logistics is no exception.

Just a few weeks ago, at the Munich Transport and Logistics Trade Fair, one of the sector’s leading European companies presented a self-driving electric lorry. This driverless vehicle can travel up to 200 kilometres, has a load capacity of more than 20 tonnes and, moreover, can be driven remotely in certain situations.

Figures from the European Environment Agency show that 25% of the CO₂ emissions in Spain come from logistical and transport operations. The data reveals that in Spain the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere have risen by 50% since 1990, in contrast to other countries like Sweden, which have managed to reduce their emissions. Considering that logistics is one of the most polluting sectors, the challenge for businesses in this sector is to maintain or increase the level of service efficacy and efficiency while at the same time reducing the levels of pollutant gas emissions.