Logistics efficiency depends not only on a company's own assets, routes and operations, but also on its ability to access and coordinate resources, capacity and services across the wider supply network. Through collaboration with other actors, companies can improve asset utilization, reduce empty movements, increase service flexibility and lower logistics costs.
While the potential value of shared assets, combined flows and coordinated logistics services is widely recognized, companies often lack the trusted mechanisms, interoperable tools and governance frameworks needed to efficiently identify, establish, manage and scale collaboration opportunities.
ALICE Thematic Group 4 (TG4) addresses this challenge by developing and promoting the methods, collaboration models, digital enablers and operational frameworks that allow companies to connect demand with available resources, unlock shared capacity and realize the value of collaborative logistics at scale.
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TG4 addresses coordination and collaboration across supply networks. Coordination refers to better alignment of logistics activities along supply chains. Collaboration refers to shared approaches across supply chains, for example by combining flows, sharing assets and resources to increase utilization, aligning demand with available transport capacity.
This matters for European logistics because many sustainability and efficiency gains depend on better use of existing assets, networks and services. Higher load factors, fewer empty kilometres, better consolidation, more efficient use of storage capacity, shared logistics resources and stronger intermodal integration can all contribute to lower emissions and improved competitiveness.
by supporting better asset utilization, reduced empty movements, increased use of rail and waterborne transport, and more efficient logistics flows
by addressing collaboration models that can improve service quality, capacity use, cost effectiveness and network performance
by supporting collaborative approaches that reduce dependency on individual flows, strengthen existing corridors and improve logistics continuity
The Thematic Group is closely linked to ALICE roadmaps on Global Supply Network Coordination and Collaboration. The Physical Internet and Zero Emissions Logistics decarbonization roadmap pillar on fleets and assets are shared and used to the max.
TG4 works on the coordination of logistics flows within and across supply chains. This includes vertical coordination between supply chain actors and horizontal collaboration between companies facing similar logistics challenges.
The aim is to identify collaboration models that can reduce waste, increase utilization of transport and storage assets, and support more efficient supply network operations.
ALICE EXPRESS is a shipper-led collaboration initiative supported by ALICE. It focuses on increasing the use of rail and intermodal transport by identifying and realizing new corridor creation opportunities where aggregated demand can strengthen existing services or support the development of new connections.
ALICE acts as a neutral offline trustee in the initiative, helping to identify synergies between shippers and multimodal transport operators while providing governance, legal and operational frameworks.
TG4 supports work on the practical conditions needed to make rail and intermodal transport more competitive and easier to use for shippers.
This includes work on information integration, in-transit time, on-time delivery, estimated time of arrival, appropriate connections, and perceived differences between rail and intermodal service providers and shipper requirements.
TG4 develops applied collaboration streams to move collaborative logistics concepts towards practical implementation.
These streams connect member needs, project evidence and innovation opportunities. Examples under exploration include smart boxes in multi-retailer and multi-manufacturer networks, Book & Claim approaches, data exchange, zero-emission road transport and collaboration models linked to urban logistics.
TG4 addresses the role of shared assets, modular logistics units, open storage capacity and open logistics networks in enabling structural collaboration.
This includes strategies such as combining FTL and LTL flows, improving parcel delivery density, reducing empty movements, integrating direct and reverse flows, increasing load factors and improving access to shared storage capacity.
TG4 supports the collection and sharing of use cases, proofs of concept and innovative solutions linked to collaboration in logistics.
The objective is to make practical experience visible and to understand which collaboration models, governance conditions, business cases and operational arrangements are needed to scale successful examples.
The Thematic Group focuses on collaboration as a pathway to impact. This means looking beyond technology readiness and examining the organizational, operational, commercial, legal and trust-related conditions needed for collaborative logistics to work in practice.
In 2025, TG4 tested ALICE EXPRESS as an impact-driven collaboration framework, supported work on increased use of rail, developed applied collaboration streams and explored the concept of ALICE Communities as collaborative innovation ecosystems. The group also used project activity and member exchanges to link Physical Internet concepts with practical implementation cases.
This work contributes to ALICE 4 Impact by connecting roadmap priorities, member collaboration, project results and practical implementation pathways for more efficient, sustainable and collaborative logistics networks.
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Physical Internet (PI) aims at facilitating structural collaboration across logistics ...
TG4 contributes to strategic, practical and policy-oriented outputs linked to supply network collaboration, increased use of rail, intermodal integration, asset utilisation and innovation uptake.
EiFa-S develops a neutral showcase platform that brings together harmonised Combined Transport (CT) timetable and connection information, making intermodal transport services easier to discover, compare and integrate into logistics planning.
IKIGAI is a Horizon Europe innovation project accelerating the deployment of the Physical Internet (PI) by 2040 and supporting the transition towards decarbonised freight transport and logistics by 2050 through scalable, collaborative and standardised logistics innovations.
BOOSTLOG strengthens the European freight transport and logistics R&I ecosystem to maximise the impact of innovation and support the transition towards sustainable, competitive and digitally connected logistics.
ENTRANCE connects innovative sustainable transport solutions with potential buyers and financing opportunities to accelerate their market uptake and scale-up across Europe.
The ALICE Knowledge Platform gives TG4 members access to more detailed knowledge, including programme materials, reports, white papers, webinar materials, project outputs, meeting documents and discussion spaces.
TG4 is led by representatives from the ALICE membership and supported by the ALICE Secretariat.
TG4 is relevant for organisations working on supply chain coordination, horizontal collaboration, intermodal transport, increased use of rail and waterborne transport, shared logistics capacity, collaborative sourcing, joint tendering, modular assets, storage networks, reverse logistics, Physical Internet implementation, innovation uptake and collaborative business models.
Participation includes exchange on operational needs, project results, use cases, proofs of concept, collaboration barriers, research priorities and practical implementation opportunities linked to supply network coordination and collaboration.
Members can contribute by sharing experiences and initiatives, presenting use cases, joining workshops and webinars, contributing to ALICE EXPRESS, engaging with applied collaboration streams, providing feedback on TG4 outputs and using the Knowledge Platform to exchange resources and insights.