The new digital technologies are here to stay and change how the transport and logistics sector operates.

In this context, on 24 March 2022, CETMO held, with the contribution of the Islamic Development Bank, the Digitalization of Transport Observatory’s Annual Conference, whose work is supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana.

The conference featured presentations by Dr Islam El Nakib, Dean of the Al Alamain College of International Transport and Logistics at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport; Cristina Martín Lorenzo, CEO of Usyncro, Vice-President of ATEIA Madrid, Coordinator of the Digitalisation group of FETEIA and Member of the Board of Directors of Alastria; and Agustí Miró, Director of Research and Institutional Development at CETMO.

The conference was structured in two parts. The first part focused on the levels of digital maturity, understood as the ability of organisations to generate value through the new digital technologies; the different digital technologies in the transport and logistics sector, and the phases of the digital supply chain. The second part described the state of the sector digital maturity and potential disincentives and unlocking actions, followed by an example of practical application: the Usyncro platform that enables collaboration and synchronisation of supply chain actors through blockchain and artificial intelligence capabilities.

The conference aroused interest and was very well received by stakeholders and professionals in the region, as evidenced by the attendance of representatives from more than ten countries in the Mediterranean region linked to the various modes of transport (road, rail, maritime, air and logistics), as well as delegates from international transport associations and international financial institutions.

The introduction and consolidation of digital technologies in the transport and logistics sector is a challenge that will mark its future and which the CETMO will follow closely.