Marzenna Cichosz
Warsaw School of Economics, Department of Logistics, Poland
E-mail: Marzenna.Cichosz@sgh.waw.pl

Abstract

Sustainable, safe, secure and efficient logistics is of great importance for
chemical supply chains to operate successfully. However, as most logistics operations
in this sector are outsourced to logistics service providers (LSPs), chemical companies
have to rely on LSPs and collaborate with them when working on logistics ecoefficiency. This paper takes an LSP’s perspective. It aims to investigate the vertical
as well as horizontal collaboration needed in making chemical logistics greener and
safer, by shifting chemical road freight to intermodal transport, combining modes,
better transport planning, and energy and emission management. The research
problem is analysed on the basis of a literature review and structured, in-depth
interviews conducted with nine LSPs and twelve chemical companies operating in
Poland.
The research is part of the “Promotion of Multimodal Transport in Chemical
Logistics” project within INTERREG Central Europe Programme. The main findings
from the research show that environmental regulations and targets in the EU Transport
Whitepapers have resulted in LSPs’ interest to work towards establishing more
ecological strategies and operations, as well as new, greener services in response to
the needs of chemical companies. There are many examples of vertical cooperation,
even with elements of collaboration, among LSPs and their suppliers, and chemical
customers in green logistics. However, this is not the case for horizontal cooperation
among LSPs operating in Poland. They consider it to be very challenging and risky,
and are reluctant to share their data with other LSPs. Nevertheless, environmental
regulations, technological development and efficiency goals will soon force LSPs to
consider working together with other LSPs, even competitors.
The research reported in this paper is limited in its scope. Even so, it does provide
a platform from which more detailed research may be conducted. The managerial
implications arising from the research suggest current practices in green logistics in
general and green logistics in chemical industry in particular.

Key words: sustainability, multimodal transport, chemical freight, Logistics Service
Providers (LSPs), vertical / horizontal cooperation

Last Update: October 26, 2017