Tag Archive: logistics

  1. Groningen shares the secrets to smooth and sustainable city logistics

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    Source: Mobility Innovation Marketplace, L. Steinberg

    The city of Groningen, the Netherlands, is lauded as an innovator when considering sustainable urban logistics. Following an informative keynote by Lior Steinberg, we now share some of the city’s successes.

    Have you ever considered exactly what goes on out of sight in our cities, that enables us to enjoy the comfort and luxuries of everyday life that we have all become accustomed to? At the touch of a button, we can have orders delivered straight to our door. This delivery system or, urban logistics, is a complex but very productive network and we all love it. But sometimes it doesn’t function perfectly, and this can affect all of us.

    Factors to consider when contemplating urban logistics include traffic congestion and pollution. Some cities have been proactive and addressed such issues – one example being Groningen in The Netherlands. In a quest to improve standards of living, Groningen has been making improvements for decades and is keen to share its strategy for a sustainable city.

    Timing. Perhaps the most logical of all improvements, Groningen has capped the delivery times for cargo and delivery vehicles in specific areas of the city. Deliveries are now only possible between 5am and 12pm unless via a dedicated permit. Rush hour congestion is aided and thus, pollution levels drop, as do the often-forgotten noise pollution levels. Concise planning is required by those using delivery services – particularly businesses – and a faster-flowing network functions well. The strategy has been in place in certain areas for a number of years, but as of 2023, it applies to the entire city, one that is dedicated to improved social activities for those who visit.

    Polluting vehicles. Some might regard this as an obvious strategy, but Groningen has gone that little bit further than most. From 2025, only electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles and those under human power will be allowed in the city.

    Hubs and last-mile implementation. Groningen has constructed several last-mile hubs around the city. Multiple goods are transferred to these hubs by transport services, at which point electric cargo bikes and sustainable methods take over the handling of deliveries to their final destination.

    Cargo Bikes. The relationship which the Netherlands has with bicycles is globally recognised, particularly in Europe. As a nation of devotees of this mode of transport in everyday life, cargo bikes with their sustainable and practical approach have been championed in the country. Now with constantly-developing electric drive systems, deliveries of many sizes will be made faster and more economically distributed.

    Knowledge and collaboration. Keen to expand its founded success, and in a quest to improve our way of life, Groningen has shared its strategies with other European cities. Their approaches have been widely published and projects including Intereg’s Smart Urban Freight Logistics Hubs and Horizon’s Urban Logistics as an On-demand Service have been included in Groningen’s agendas. Let’s hope other cities take advantage of this knowledge.

  2. Autonomous robot trialled for last-mile deliveries in Helsinki

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    Electric parcel delivery robot will do the rounds for 1 month

    Source: TheMayor.eu and Forum Virium Helsinki

    Facing a growing population and increasing logistics challenges, the City of Helsinki has opted for a truly modern solution. The people of Jätkäsaari district will enjoy the opportunity to collect their packages from an autonomous and environmentally-friendly electric delivery robot, as part of a trial scheme lasting from November 2 to December 10 2021.

    The city has an innovation company called Forum Virium Helsinki, which has teamed up with the start-up LMAD, GIM Robotics, and DB Schenker, to find out how an autonomous delivery robot can facilitate improvements to urban logistics. It is specifically the area of last-mile delivery which presents the most challenges, and opportunities.

    As for the practical delivery of the service, customers simply select DB Schenker and the LMAD robot when placing an order. Much like any other courier service, they will receive a link for setting their delivery preferences, and at this point they choose their preferred time and location from a set route. When the robot arrives at that spot, it sends a code to the recipient, who can then unlock and collect the package.

    Antti Jarva, who is in charge of DB Schenker’s package business in Finland said, “DB Schenker is actively involved in the innovation of the logistics industry. In Finland, we have developed package pick-up points in particular to facilitate smooth flows of goods to various residential environments. We study the use of delivery robots as one pick-up point solution for densely populated urban areas”.

    LMAD is the company who operates the robot. Co-founder and Product Lead Gergely Horváth said, “For us, this is an excellent opportunity to test an autonomous delivery service with the residents of Jätkäsaari. We want to learn how our solution brings additional value to both residents and our partner, DB Schenker. Our aim is to offer a service that is a convenient, flexible and environmentally friendly option while simultaneously reducing logistics costs”.

    During the pilot, the robot is accompanied by an operator who ensures safe and smooth execution. Moving at walking speed, it employs sophisticated sensors and lidar technology, to observe and react to its surroundings, and stop for any obstacles.

    Photo credit: Forum Virium Helsinki
  3. New lightweight wheel for heavyweight cargocycles

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    LEVA-EU Member Alligt introduce their third 20″ wheel, CBW3 (Cargo Bike Wheel 3), made of high quality plastic with fiberglass. It is designed for the heavier multitrack cargocycles up to 600 kg with 4 wheels. After some further testing, Alligt is hoping to release it for a static load of 150 kg per wheel and for assistance up to 25 km/h. The weight of the plastic part of the wheel is 1.4 kg, the weight of motor plus wheel is around 5 kg.

    The first motor, which has been specifically adapted for this wheel has been produced by the Canadian company Grin Technologies. The details for the motor attachment were developed in consultation with GRIN. Alligt want to further cooperate with GRIN with a view to facilitating future lightweight cargovehicles together and adapting wheel and motor to future market demand.

    The first pair of wheels will be assembled in the GoLo, a new cargocycle developed by LEVA-EU Member Flevobike. These motors then sit together with the bottom bracket generator from Bike2.dk in one of the possible drive lines. The GoLo with CBW2 front wheels and CBW3 rear wheels can be seen at World of eMobility on November 18,19,20 in the Expo Haarlemmermeer.

    More features of the wheels including 3D files can be found at cargobike-wheels.com.
    For all further details please contact Leo Visscher, +31 321 337 838, leovisscherkorver@gmail.com

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