The latest push for freight innovation

The latest round of the government’s Freight Innovation Fund is backing nine pioneering technologies, offering fleet managers a glimpse of what a cleaner, smarter and more efficient logistics could look like

Moving 1.6 billion tonnes of goods each year, the UK freight sector is the backbone of the national economy. It has never been quicker or more efficient, yet this success comes with a significant environmental cost. Freight remains one of the UK’s largest contributors to domestic carbon emissions, and as fleet managers know all too well, the pressure to decarbonise is intensifying from customers, regulators and supply chain partners alike. Against this backdrop, the Government’s Freight Innovation Fund (FIF) is helping to bring about the technology needed to spark change.

Launched in January 2023 and funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), the FIF is designed to accelerate the development and commercialisation of technologies that can transform how freight moves across the UK. Delivered by Connected Places Catapult, the programme takes a cross-modal approach, supporting innovations that improve the entire end-to-end freight journey. Its mission is not simply to identify clever ideas, but to trial them in real-world operations with genuine fleet and logistics partners, building a pipeline of solutions that can scale across the sector.

The latest round of the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator marks a significant step forward. Nine SMEs have been awarded up to £130 million to test technologies that promise to reshape logistics through decarbonisation, efficiency gains, digital intelligence and staff wellbeing. These companies, outlined below – will each receive up to £130,000 to take their innovations from concept to on-the-ground trials.

For fleet managers searching for credible, scalable ways to cut emissions, the technologies now being tested reveal both the diversity of solutions coming to market and the rapidly growing readiness of the sector to adopt them. 

Empty and underused vehicles

Anteam is tackling one of road freight’s most persistent inefficiencies: empty and underused vehicles. With around 30 per cent of HGVs running empty, the company’s AI platform matches unused transport capacity with real-time demand. By sitting on top of existing transport management systems, the platform enables operators to share routes, reduce mileage and validate carbon savings through audited calculations. Early trials with major pharmacy chains have shown striking results, including emissions reductions of up to 85 per cent and cost savings of up to 60 per cent, and the new FIF-backed trial with partners including Welch Group and Baxter Freight, aims to prove the model at scale.

Where Anteam is focused on data and utilisation, Berkeley Coachworks is rethinking the hardware itself. Drawing on advanced composite materials and aerodynamic techniques more commonly found in motorsport, the company has developed a new generation of lightweight trailers designed to cut emissions both in manufacturing and on the road. Working again with Welch Group, the trial will measure real-world fuel savings, durability and the ease with which the trailers can integrate into day-to-day fleet operations. 

GoLink Advisory Group is turning its attention to high-speed rail as a genuine alternative for long-distance parcel movements. Combining new electric Class 93 locomotives with electric HGVs, its trial will examine a fully integrated, low-carbon linehaul solution for the courier, express and parcel market. The project, delivered with DPD UK, will test real-time tracking, seamless transfers between modes and whether time-critical volumes can reliably move by rail. If successful, it could open the door to a new era of fast, trusted, digitally visible rail freight.

Optimal Cities is providing a digital mapping and intelligence platform that uses satellite and sensor data to identify safety risks, worker pressure points and environmental impacts across ports and depots. By giving managers a clear, real-time view of stress hotspots and operational inefficiencies, the system is designed to support safer routing, improved staff wellbeing and faster planning approvals. Trials with Wincanton, Portsmouth International Port and Port of Tyne will examine the platform’s ability to reduce incident risk and improve resilience.

Rhevia will be using the funding to capture a high level of visibility into the movement of people, trailers and vehicles. Its privacy-preserving radar technology detects movement in three dimensions, building a live digital picture of operations. Working with Portsmouth International Port and DFDS, the company aims to model the entire trailer journey from gate arrival to vessel loading, enabling predictive insights that improve compliance, reduce safety risks and make port operations more efficient.

Urban logistics

SLANT Sustainable Technologies, meanwhile, is focusing on urban logistics. The company is developing an electric assistance system that can be fitted to bike trailers, helping couriers move heavier loads without having to rely on vans. The approach is modular and low-cost, designed for small operators for whom full fleet replacement is unrealistic. Partnering with The Pedal Collective in Bristol, the trial will study rider fatigue, speed, safety and the potential to replace short van trips in congested city environments.

The wellbeing of freight workers is also the focus for SpatialCortex Technology, which is trialling MOVA, a wearable AI-driven solution that monitors posture, strain and movement to reduce musculoskeletal disorder risks. Unlike traditional ergonomic assessments, MOVA provides continuous real-world monitoring and instant feedback. The trial, delivered with Port of Tyne, DHL and Portsmouth International Port, aims to show that the system can help reduce high-risk exposures by more than a quarter while improving the productivity of risk assessments severalfold.

Supply Chain Analysis is supporting the maritime sector with an AI-powered planning tool designed to reduce congestion and improve the coordination of trailers in ferry operations. By forecasting dwell times, destinations and handling needs before trailers arrive, the system can optimise yard space, vessel loading and lorry appointments. DFDS will put the tool to the test, with expected outcomes including faster vessel turnarounds and lower fuel consumption from yard machinery.

Finally, Zizo is bringing powerful but accessible data analytics to freight operators through its Confluence platform. By integrating vast datasets and using GenAI to tailor insights to specific users, the platform is designed to break down the barriers that often limit the use of data. Working with Welch Group and Portsmouth International Port, Zizo aims to highlight opportunities ranging from predictive maintenance to better warehouse availability and more efficient port or depot operations.

Together, these projects illustrate a freight sector undergoing rapid transformation. From AI-enabled HGV sharing to electric bike trailers, and from high-speed rail alternatives to smart ports, the solutions emerging from the Freight Innovation Fund are being tested now, in real fleets and real ports, with measurable emissions and efficiency benefits.

For fleet managers tasked with decarbonising operations, innovation is happening to develop a cleaner, more efficient and more resilient freight system.