🚚 Glossary of Sustainable Logistics

  • 3PL
    • 3PL stands for Third-Party Logistics. It's when companies use external businesses to handle their logistics, like warehousing, transportation, and fulfillment services, instead of doing it themselves. This helps companies focus on other parts of their business while the 3PL handles the logistics part.
  • DC: distribution center
  • emission standard
    • Emission standards set limits on the amount of pollutants that can be released into the environment from vehicles and other sources. They're rules to cut down pollution and protect air quality.
  • engg hours: engineering hours
    • "Engg hours" usually means "engineering hours," referring to the time spent on engineering tasks or projects. It's all about the work hours dedicated to design, development, problem-solving, and other engineering-related activities.
  • ETF
    • ETF stands for Exchange-Traded Fund. It's like a basket of stocks, bonds, or other assets. You can buy and sell ETF shares on stock exchanges just like regular stocks. They're a popular way to invest in different sectors or diversify without buying lots of individual assets.
  • FTI: Fuel Transport Index
    • FTI in fuel logistics can refer to "Fuel Transport Index" or a term related to the transportation and handling of fuel. It's about how fuel, especially hazardous types like aviation fuel or diesel, is safely and efficiently transported, stored, and distributed, considering factors like quantity, distance, and safety regulations. It's crucial in ensuring a reliable supply chain for energy resources.
  • GCD: great circle distance
    • The great circle distance is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, measured along the surface of the sphere. It’s used in navigation, particularly in air and sea travel.
  • GLEC: Global Logistics Emissions Council
    • That’s why the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) developed the GLEC Framework, to harmonize the calculation and reporting of logistics GHG emissions across multi-modal supply chains. It is the primary industry guideline to support implementation of ISO 14083, and can be implemented by shippers, carriers and logistics service providers.
  • GVW: Gross vehicle weight rating
    • The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), or gross vehicle mass (GVM), is the maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle as specified by the manufacturer including the vehicle's chassis, body, engine, engine fluids, fuel, accessories, driver, passengers and cargo but excluding that of any trailers.
      The weight of a vehicle is influenced by passengers, cargo, even fuel level, so a number of terms are used to express the weight of a vehicle in a designated state. Gross combined weight rating (GCWR) refers to the total mass of a vehicle including all trailers. GVWR and GCWR are used to specify weight limitations and restrictions. Gross trailer weight rating specifies the maximum weight of a trailer and the gross axle weight rating specifies the maximum weight on any particular axle. (source)
  • haulier: a person or company employed in the transport of goods or materials by road.
    • "a major haulier between Europe and Asia"
  • inbound vs. outbound logistics
    • Inbound logistics involves receiving parts, materials, and components from suppliers, crucial for manufacturing their vehicles like trucks and buses.
      Outbound logistics is about distributing the final products to dealers and customers.
      Inbound focuses on supply chain efficiency, while outbound emphasizes customer delivery and satisfaction.
  • load factor
    • Load factor in energy terms measures how much energy is used compared to the max possible if it ran full time. High load factor = efficient use.
  • LTL: Less Than Truckload
    • LTL stands for Less Than Truckload, which is a term used in logistics to describe shipments that do not require a full truckload. It refers to shipments that are smaller in size and do not fill up an entire truck. LTL shipments are typically consolidated with other shipments from different customers to maximize efficiency and reduce costs.
  • OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturers
    • OEM logistics refers to the management and coordination of the supply chain for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). It involves the movement of raw materials, components, and finished products from suppliers to manufacturers, and then to distributors or customers. Effective OEM logistics ensures that the right parts are delivered to the right place at the right time, optimizing efficiency and reducing costs.
  • P&L: Profit & Loss, also used as a noun here ;) like a semi-independent company
  • Scope 3 emissions
    • Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions not produced by a company but related to its activities, like the production of purchased materials, transportation of products, and use of sold products. They're often the largest part of a company's carbon footprint and the hardest to control.
  • TMS: Transportation Management Systems
    • Transportation Management Systems (TMS) are software solutions that help businesses manage and optimize their transportation operations. These systems provide tools for planning, executing, and tracking shipments, as well as managing carrier relationships and freight costs.
      TMS can automate processes such as load planning, carrier selection, and freight payment, which can help businesses streamline their transportation operations and reduce costs. They also provide visibility into the entire transportation process, allowing businesses to track shipments in real-time and proactively address any issues that may arise.
      Some key features of TMS include route optimization, load consolidation, freight audit and payment, carrier performance management, and analytics and reporting. These features enable businesses to make data-driven decisions, improve efficiency, and enhance customer service.
      Overall, TMS can be a valuable tool for businesses looking to improve their transportation operations, increase efficiency, and reduce costs.
    • example: Rio
  • TTW: Tank-to-Wheel
    • Tank-to-Wheel considers the performance and emissions of a vehicle during its operation, including factors like fuel efficiency, emissions from the vehicle's tailpipe, and energy losses in the engine and transmission. TTW analysis is concerned with how efficiently a vehicle uses the fuel or energy source during actual driving conditions.
  • WTT: Well-to-Tank
    • Well-to-Tank focuses on the environmental and energy aspects of a fuel or energy source from its extraction or production up to the point it enters the vehicle's fuel tank. It excludes the vehicle's combustion or use phase. WTT analysis helps assess the environmental impact of the production and distribution of fuels, such as gasoline or diesel, before they are used in vehicles.
  • WTW: Well-to-Wheel
    • Well-to-Wheel is an analysis that takes into account the entire life cycle of a vehicle's fuel or energy source. It starts from the extraction or production of the fuel source (e.g., crude oil, natural gas, electricity from renewables) and traces it through all the processes, including refining, transportation, and utilization in a vehicle. WTW analysis provides a comprehensive view of the environmental and energy impacts of a specific fuel or energy source in the context of transportation.