Humber Freeport’s CEO joined logistics experts to discuss how innovation and collaboration can future-proof the UK’s supply chain.
Simon Green informed an audience at the ‘Port to Port’ session – held on day four of Humber Business Week – that “the big tectonic plates in the Humber are joining up,” as the region moves “in one direction with a clear and focused strategy.”
The session, organised and delivered by Hull-based logistics technology provider Yard Ops, brought together industry experts, thought leaders and digital innovators to explore how to drive resilience and sustainability across the sector.
Mr Green outlined the Freeport’s proposition and strategic importance in attracting investment and creating growth and robustness across the Humber’s supply chain.
He told the audience: “We now have in place a pan-Humber strategy as an economic entity. Through our work with the Humber Energy Board, we are helping to address energy security and the opportunities it presents for our region.
“We talk a lot about the three c’s in business – for me, they are creativity, cash and commodity. The Humber’s location is its biggest commodity, whether that’s onshore or offshore, we have the assets and the geography to make a real impact.
“The big tectonic plates in the Humber are joining up, and we are moving in one direction.”
Mr Green spoke at the event alongside Dr Sarah Shaw and Barrie Louw from the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute, as well as Deyan Blagoev, Commercial Director at SIRMA Group, who gave an international perspective from an award-winning logistics innovation lead and a recognised authority within the Balkans economy.
Sustainability and net zero formed a core part of the session. As a global industry, the logistics sector accounts for as much as 40 per cent of the planet’s carbon emissions.
With an average of 90 per cent of an organisation’s carbon footprint sitting within its supply chain, the importance of driving sustainable growth in the logistics sector is of paramount importance.
Dr Shaw, a Reader in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute, said: “In designing a supply chain of the future, we need to think about agility and embracing digital technologies to drive efficiency.
“The Humber is one of the largest carbon-emitting industrial clusters in the UK. Climate change is happening, the science is right there before our eyes, and we all need to adapt as businesses and as a supply chain.
“Through transparency and accurately collating data across the supply chain, businesses can increase their resilience and gain a competitive edge in the market.”
Dr Shaw highlighted a project the University of Hull has been involved in with leading kitchen manufacturer Wren Kitchens.
Wren, based in Barton-upon-Humber, is now measuring the carbon impact of every individual kitchen which rolls off its production line.
Customers can also see the carbon footprint of the kitchen they are purchasing, providing transparency and a deeper understanding of the environmental impact of their buying habits.
At the end of the session, Mr Green joined fellow speakers on a panel to highlight the economic importance of the Hull to Liverpool, port-to-port corridor to UK Plc.
Panellists discussed the needs of the logistics sector which will unlock increased productivity, efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of transporting goods.
The session was opened and introduced by Future Humber’s Olly Burdett, who outlined the ‘Seven Wonders of the Humber’ – location, infrastructure, people, business ecosystem, innovation, scale of opportunity and collaboration.
