ALICE and Japan Physical Internet Center (JPIC) strengthening collaboration on Physical Internet

Monday, April 28th, 2025

On 26 March 2025, the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe (ALICE) and the Japan Physical Internet Centre (JPIC) held a strategic follow-up meeting to their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November 2024. This session reaffirmed both organisations’ shared ambition to accelerate the implementation of the Physical Internet (PI) as a global model for sustainable, collaborative, and efficient logistics.

About JPIC

The Japan Physical Internet Centre (JPIC), established in 2022, is dedicated to achieving sustainable logistics through standardisation, research, and stakeholder collaboration. Its vision centres on building “ultimate open collaborative logistics” aligned with the Physical Internet paradigm.

Strengthening collaboration: key discussion points

During the meeting, ALICE and JPIC reviewed developments since the signing of the MoU and set the stage for upcoming joint activities. Among the highlights:

JPIC Expansion: JPIC has seen substantial growth, now boasting 60 sponsoring companies, demonstrating strong commitment from Japan’s logistics and industrial sectors to the PI vision.
Event Recap- Shaping the Future of Logistics: Fernando Liesa, Secretary General of ALICE, shared key takeaways from the event “Shaping the Future of Logistics: Bringing the Physical Internet to Life”. The event showcased outcomes from the PILL and SYTADEL projects, which have provided operational blueprints, prototypes, and data-sharing models for future PI-driven logistics networks.
Road Automation Synergies: The group exchanged insights on ongoing automation initiatives in Japan and Europe, including the MODI project, which is piloting Level 4 autonomous freight vehicles across borders in Europe. Both sides acknowledged the critical role of automation in achieving Physical Internet goals.

Looking ahead to IPIC 2025- Hong Kong

Plans for the 11th International Physical Internet Conference (IPIC 2025), to be hosted in Hong Kong from 18-20 June 2025, were discussed in detail. Professor Takayuki Mori (JPIC) and Fernando Liesa (ALICE) outlined their joint vision for the event, which will mark the first in-person IPIC hosted in Asia.

Joint sessions highlighting regional progress in Japan and Europe are being planned, along with a dedicated side meeting between Japanese and European delegations to encourage cross-fertilisation of ideas and partnerships. The event theme, “AI-Empowered Physical Internet”, will spotlight the integration of artificial intelligence to enhance connected, open logistics systems.

Standardisation and ISO participation

The meeting addressed joint engagement in ISO/TC 344 – Innovative Logistics, the ISO committee focused on standardising logistics services, frameworks, and operational innovations.

Both ALICE and JPIC underscored their commitment to contributing to this global standardisation effort. At the same time, they highlighted the need for future Physical Internet international standardisation efforts to be pursued as a distinct initiative, separate from ISO/TC 344. This ensures that the specific requirements and scope of the Physical Internet are addressed through a dedicated process aligned with its unique vision.

Future activities

To support ongoing collaboration and stakeholder engagement, ALICE and JPIC will co-organise a series of webinars starting in Q3 2025. These online sessions will bring together international experts to explore key themes such as data spaces, automation, cross-border logistics, and sustainable infrastructure within the Physical Internet framework.

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