Behaviour enabling increased inland and coastal shipping

Important results from the project

The aim of the continuation project is to enable the implementation of innovative logistics concepts for inland and coastal shipping through increased understanding of potential users´ behaviour, culture and values linked to purchasing of logistics services and shifting transport solutions. Adding this dimension to the InLog project provided important insights as it has been difficult to attract cargo volumes. The project describes behaviour, culture and values of transport buyers as barriers or enablers learning from companies actively using shipping.

Expected long term effects

Behaviours and values are difficult to change, but the project contributes with increased understanding of existing behaviours and good examples from companies actively using inland or coastal shipping, which can be applied in other organizations. Important structural, cultural and competence challenges are highlighted for each dimension. Challenges linked to behaviours and values are related to the other dimensions of technology, products and processes; business models and procurement; infrastructure; and policy and regulations.

Approach and implementation

The project takes the perspective of commercial stakeholders. Interviews with transport providers as well as transport buying companies were conducted where empirical data was collected about the culture, values and behaviours of individuals, companies and society incl. approaches and structures. An empirical analysis was conducted of the inclination of transport buyers to use inland and coastal shipping considering cultural and structural barriers and enablers as well as dimensions of intangible assets (human capital).