Smart Urban Freight Logistics Hubs

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Urban areas attract extensive flows of goods. Recent studies in cities show that substantial efficiency gains are possible if stakeholders cooperate and bundle freight on the last mile within urban areas using smart urban freight logistics hubs. Several challenges must be faced. Realizing a high level of efficiency in distribution within urban areas, being the core challenge of the project by 1) less freight transport 2) less pollution. Optimization of efficiency in urban logistics systems (last mile) have a positive effect on promoting efficient and sustainable multi modal transport. Through the ‘smart urban hub concept’, both sides of the logistics chain can be optimized.The focus of the project is the optimization of the interaction between the hub and the urban logistics system, promoting both efficient and sustainable logistics in urban areas in smaller and medium-sized cities, city regions and networks. (efficiency, sustainability, innovation)The novelty of this project is the combination of a system and supply chain approach in developing these hubs as to make them really ‘smart’. This means that we go beyond past experiments and pilot projects that focus foremost on location.By introducing city labs a transnational platform is created to promote innovation in city logistics. These platforms will bring together different actors to exchange knowledge, work on innovative pilot projects and implement results within policy strategies and the urban logistics system. Information added on 2020-05-18, regarding the mitigation of the effects of COVID-19 (the coronavirus pandemic that started in 2019) (English language only): One of the green logistics initaitives supported by SURFLOGH, Groningen-based Dropper, has experienced a surge of business during the Covid-19 crisis. This nimble cargo bike delivery service has turned out to be a success as restaurants have adapted and started to offer takeaway dinners and food. Dropper has even had requests to deliver in other cities, too. Based on the success of this delivery concept, the company is confident that much of the new business will continue even after the crisis has passed.

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