New Paths for Freight Transport & Logistics
Ubilabs Creates Transparency with New Data Standard and Location Technology
The demand for sustainable transport is growing, while freight traffic continues to rise. This presents the logistics industry with a major challenge: How can complex, intermodal supply chains be mapped transparently and consistently? This is precisely where the research project HEGEL (Hypernetwork of German Logistics), funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, comes in. From January 2022 to March 2025, we had the opportunity to collaborate with several partners to tackle the lack of transparency in Germany’s logistics networks.
Leveraging our expertise in data and location technology, we developed innovative software solutions that significantly simplify the exchange and analysis of logistics data. Our core contribution is the creation of an entirely new industry standard: the Universal Freight Network Specification (UFNS). This standard, combined with the UFNS Suite we developed, enables—for the first time—the structured collection, processing, and analysis of data across different modes of transport and stakeholders within a unified framework.
When Data Doesn’t Communicate
The reality of logistics is often complex: freight forwarders, terminal operators, and rail companies each work with their own isolated datasets for networks, schedules, and pricing information. These data silos make it difficult to gain a comprehensive overview and hinder efficient, end-to-end planning. Manual processes are still widespread when coordinating multimodal transport chains. This results in a lack of transparency and comparability across the industry. Until now, there has been no unified standard to enable the integration, updating, and automated visualization of data from different modes of transport and stakeholders.
Paving the Way to Transparency with the Universal Freight Network Specification Data Standard
Unleashing Logistics Data: UFNS Makes It Possible
To overcome the fragmented data landscape in logistics, a unified standard is essential. That’s why we developed the Universal Freight Network Specification (UFNS). Similar to how the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) revolutionized public transit by standardizing data exchange, UFNS defines a consistent approach for capturing and sharing logistics data. Rather than relying on isolated data silos, UFNS enables a structured, consistent, and redundancy-free representation of information. This not only simplifies the integration of existing datasets but also ensures they are future-ready and easily scalable.
UFNS defines standardized rules and formats for describing logistics networks. These include, among others:
- Logistics hubs: Locations where goods are transferred or stored.
- Transport connections: Routes between hubs, categorized by mode of transport (road, rail, air, maritime, and inland waterways).
- Timetable data: Information on departure and arrival times.
- Operator information: Details about the companies responsible for carrying out the transport.
This structured approach enables data from various sources to be represented in a unified format.
Mastering Networks: Managing Data Intelligently with the UFNS Suite
The UFNS Suite is a web-based mapping application built on the UFNS standard, offering a comprehensive toolset for creating, editing, and analyzing logistics networks. It consists of two main components:
- UFNS Editor: Serving as the central interface for creating and editing UFNS files, this intuitive web-based editor allows users to place logistics hubs on a map and connect them via lines to form transport links. A standout feature is the ability to import existing data—such as from Excel or CSV files—and convert it into the UFNS format.
- UFNS Analyzer: This module enables targeted analysis of logistics networks. It offers tools for clear visualizations and identifying key performance indicators. Users can intuitively display network elements in color-coded views, analyze interactions between segments, and compare different components of the network with ease.
The UFNS Suite delivers significant added value for companies in the logistics sector by enabling more efficient planning of transport routes and capacities, greater operational transparency, data-driven decision-making, and improved collaboration with partners and suppliers. In practice, the suite can be applied across a range of use cases—such as route planning and optimization, network design, risk management, and sustainability assessment.
Logistics Made Engaging: The KLU Tool Turns Learning into Expertise
The KLU Teaching Tool is another key outcome of the HEGEL project, developed in collaboration with Kühne Logistics University (KLU) and 4PL Intermodal. This interactive teaching tool replaces traditional, spreadsheet-based transport chain planning with a modern, visual interface. It allows students to design and analyze intermodal supply chains directly on a map. The map also handles key calculations, such as route duration, time buffers, and CO₂ emissions. Students can compare different routing options and evaluate their respective advantages and trade-offs.
The KLU Teaching Tool is designed to give students a deeper understanding of the complex interdependencies in logistics. It helps them explore how various factors influence the efficiency and sustainability of transport chains and how to make informed decisions. By engaging with real-world logistics challenges in an interactive way, the tool equips students with the practical knowledge and critical thinking skills they need to succeed in the industry.
The Future of Logistics: Efficient, Transparent, Sustainable
The outcomes of the HEGEL project—especially the UFNS standard and the UFNS Suite—have the potential to fundamentally transform the logistics industry. By establishing a unified data foundation and providing powerful tools for analyzing and visualizing logistics networks, processes become more efficient, transparent, and sustainable. This creates a range of benefits for companies, including
- Improved planning and optimization: Companies can plan and optimize their transport routes and capacities with greater precision, leading to cost savings and shorter delivery times.
- Increased transparency and control: A unified data foundation provides a clearer view of the entire supply chain.
- Data-driven decision-making: By analyzing network data, businesses can make more informed decisions—whether it's selecting transport partners, designing logistics networks, or assessing potential risks.
- More sustainable logistics: With a stronger data foundation, companies can better measure the environmental impact of their transport activities and implement strategies to reduce emissions.
The range of applications is broad—spanning from the optimization of individual transport routes to the redesign of global supply chains. The outcomes of the project also open up valuable new opportunities for research and education in the field of logistics.
