FLITS (Fresh Logistics with IoT in Sea-based supply chains)

Fresh products in maritime logistics chains can spoil due to improper storage and transport conditions. This causes food waste, higher costs and unnecessary CO2 emissions. The FLITS project (Fresh Logistics with IoT in Sea-based supply chains) focuses on international maritime chains where perishable goods travel long distances. In these chains, continuous monitoring of temperature, humidity and other environmental factors is essential, but this is often lacking or information is fragmented between parties. By using smart IoT sensors on loads and in means of transport that measure in real time and transmit data wirelessly to a central cloud environment, deviations (e.g. temperature fluctuations) can be detected. Simple statistics and machine learning can then be used to predict the risk of quality loss before it occurs. Chain partners receive clear notifications via user-friendly dashboards, and the models developed support the decisions to be made so that they can quickly make adjustments, enabling the optimisation of logistics processes. All this leads to less food waste, fewer unnecessary journeys and lower energy costs. Through visibility and predictive insights, the consortium of knowledge parties, businesses and industry organisations contributes directly to making maritime food chains more sustainable — more efficient, cheaper and with a smaller ecological footprint.