Author archives

Leen Menken Foodservice: delivering zero-emission with Last Mile Box

When refrigerated products are delivered using a mobile cooler with electric transport, there are no CO2 emissions. It also reduced the number of transport movements in Amsterdam during a trial initiated by Dutch Leen Menken Foodservice Logistics and Rijkswaterstaat this spring. The test took place in Amsterdam Zuid. Further research and deploying multiple mobile cool …

CTPark Amsterdam City is open for lease

CTPark Amsterdam City is open for lease. The first XXL city hub’s shell and logistics infrastructure are ready. The finishing touches will be put on the inside in the coming weeks. The complex will open in early 2023. CTPark Amsterdam City is a unique building by Dutch standards, says Remon Vos, CEO of CTP, owner …

Autonomous delivery robots: not on the sidewalk, please

Unlike autonomous car applications, the operational area of urban service autonomous robots like autonomous delivery robots (ADRs) is not clearly defined. Moreover, assessing the feasibility of various operating scenarios is difficult due to large variations in the different robot designs, specific local infrastructure, and regulations. A new paper presents a prototype evaluation methodology based on …

The smaller, the better. Nano-hubs for cargo bike logistics

The expanding freight traffic in the courier, express, and parcel services (CEP) sector is increasingly posing major challenges to urban agglomerations. The main driver for this development is the dynamic growth of e-commerce, as it causes a change in consumer behavior towards an on-demand economy and continuous growth in the volume of shipments in the …

Stuttgart: lessons learned in improving delivery zone management

How can urban freight in densely populated cities be organized smartly and sustainably? The final report of the joint project Smart Zone Stuttgart, commissioned by the state capital Stuttgart, the Fraunhofer IAO, the cooperating IAT of the University of Stuttgart, and ParkUnload shows what digital delivery zone management in the state capital can look like …

‘Proximity logistics’: the development of logistics facilities in dense, mixed-use urban areas

The maturation of online consumption and the amplification of cities’ initiatives in response to local and global environmental challenges has placed goods transport, an essential but impactful activity, at the forefront of urban stakeholders’ scrutiny. High-performance and low-impact supply chains benefit from the presence of logistics facilities in proximity to goods’ destinations. This development of …

Can drones really deliver more sustainable?

The growing demand for fast, contactless deliveries has driven firms to experiment with automated package-delivery vehicles that can avoid urban traffic and rapidly reach customers. Widespread adoption of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to replace a portion of first/last-mile truck pickups and deliveries could reshape transportation energy by changing demand patterns and shifting fuel use from …

Assessing the impacts of last mile delivery strategies on delivery vehicles and traffic network performance

Urban freight is growing fast, and its adverse effects bring consequences for the residents, the environment, and the liveability of cities. Although understanding its dynamics has become a priority for governments, the multiplicity of actors with conflicting objectives makes it a significant urban planning challenge. A study by Juan E. Muriel et al. focuses on …