Sustainability and efficiency are no longer viewed as tradeoffs in modern logistics. In diverse and challenging markets such as Sub-Saharan Africa, trying to achieve sustainability and efficiency goals at the same time demands intentional transport mode decisions, data-driven route planning, and disciplined load optimisation. The future of the transportation industry will rely on smart logistics to get the job done.
Globally, the smart logistics market was valued at over $48 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach as much as $129.6 billion by 2033, according to research firm Market Mind Partners. Smart logistics exists at the intersection between artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and automation. Together, these powerful integrations work together to build supply chains that can meet changing consumer demands.
Expanding on this is Nelson Teixeira, managing director of operations for Sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx, who attributes the noticeable shift towards the use of smart logistics to realities such as the e-commerce boom, rising customer expectations for speed and transparency, and the subsequent call to reduce the transportation sector’s environmental impact.
Better mode selection
One of the ways in which smart logistics can contribute towards building more responsive, future-fit supply chains is through mode optimisation. This involves making strategic decisions around the cost-effective and efficient modes of transport for freight-based on the nature of the shipment, its size, its weight, and other factors such as distance and time constraints.
For logistics providers, choosing between air or road involves weighing up the unique characteristics of each mode of transport and striking the delicate balance between speed and cost (both in financial terms as well as in terms of the carbon footprint of the entire supply chain).
“In the past, logistics providers relied heavily on manual processes and theoretical models. Now, operators can supplement this human expertise with technology such as big data to enable near real-time tracking, predictive analytics, and automation. In this regard, technology can be a powerful enabler for effective decision-making,” says Teixeira.
Maximising efficiency
Smarter operational choices can also make a significant impact on route planning and load efficiency. By employing technological tools, logistics providers can reduce the carbon emissions of their trips by decreasing the distance travelled or avoiding congestion, reducing idle time, and optimising vehicle load distribution. In South Africa, where deteriorating infrastructure and potholes pose a serious threat to efficient transports, being equipped with smart logistics technology can help manage unpredictability and maintain a high level of customer service even under challenging conditions.
Cutting the costs
Likewise, by using technology to forecast and consolidate loads, logistics providers can cut operational expenses and possibly reduce emissions simultaneously. To this point, as Teixeira explains, an increasing number of logistics experts are recognising the correlation between the need to reduce waste and lower carbon emissions.
At FedEx, the adoption of electric vehicles into our pickup and delivery fleet across stations in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town is a deliberate step towards reducing fuel costs and streamlining routes, ultimately contributing to our goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2024 across our global network.
Lower fuel consumption, fewer empty miles, and better asset utilisation directly translate into cost savings. In uncertain economic times such as these, when margins and industry regulations are tightening, the benefit from a cost-saving perspective can be significant. “Investments in smarter planning systems, fuel-efficient fleets, and network optimisation are not only environmental decisions. They are also sound commercial strategies,” he says.
