Logistics Sector Observatories as Strategic Intelligence Infrastructures: A Longitudinal and Data-Driven Analysis of Cold-Chain Logistics Resilience

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:The paper provides a longitudinal, data-driven methodology for analyzing cold-chain logistics resilience and suggests future research on energy intensity indicators.

🏢実務担当者:Cold-chain logistics operators can use the observatory model to monitor capacity utilization and energy costs, supporting operational adjustments for resilience.

🏛政策担当者:Policymakers could consider establishing similar sector observatories to enhance transparency and support decarbonization in the logistics sector.

The growing volatility and complexity of global food supply chains have intensified the need for integrated analytical frameworks capable of supporting anticipatory and data-driven decision-making. This article examines how logistics sector observatories can function as strategic intelligence infrastructures for identifying structural tensions and supporting resilience in cold-chain logistics systems. The article introduces the concept of logistics sector observatories as strategic intelligence infrastructures and examines its empirical relevance through a longitudinal analysis of the Spanish cold-chain logistics sector. Empirically, the research draws on a multi-source dataset constructed through the ALDEFE Observatory in collaboration with industry stakeholders over the core study period 2021–2025, encompassing storage capacity, consumption dynamics, energy costs, international logistics indices, and macroeconomic variables. Complementary energy benchmark data for 2019–2025 are used to contextualize electricity cost volatility. Methodologically, the study combines qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews with exploratory quantitative longitudinal analysis. The results suggest severe structural tensions driven by the interaction between rigid capacity constraints and energy cost volatility. The analysis identifies a pattern of persistently high storage occupancy despite substantial energy-price fluctuations. This finding is consistent with the structural inelasticity of cold-chain demand, which reduces operational slack and affects system resilience. Beyond operational resilience, the study highlights the potential contribution of sector observatories to the energy sustainability transition through future sector-level indicators related to energy intensity, refrigeration efficiency, and carbon performance. The study contributes a sector-level, data-driven perspective on visibility, coordination, and anticipatory governance in complex logistics environments.

• openalex https://doi.org/10.3390/su18125927first seen 2026-07-02 05:03:47