DISCO Starring Living Lab Helsinki is conducting zero-emission deliveries at its new smart logistics centre. Coordinated by the City of Helsinki’s innovation company Forum Virium Helsinki, the city is developing and testing this solution for the flexible use of underutilised urban space for urban logistics in the Ruoholahti neighbourhood. The pilot also involved the EU URBANE project for last-mile solutions and the partner companies A2B, DB Schenker, DHL Express, LMAD (Last-mile Autonomous Delivery) and Rolan.
At the Ruoholahti Shopping Center, a local distribution centre opened last week. A cargo bike or a kind little robot may carry packages to all locals, and anybody can send or pick up packages from the DHL Express service point there!
NeRo (No emissions Robot) and HeRo (Helsinki Robot). Photo: Vesa Laitinen
The distribution centre’s goal is to lessen the amount of loud cars in downtown Helsinki. Large vans are used to transport the project partner DB Schenker’s supplies to the nearby distribution centre. Packages are distributed among LMAD autonomous delivery robots, electric delivery vehicles, and A2B and DB Schenker cargo bikes in the centre. Rolan, a company offering services for smart transportation and logistics, is one of the project partners. Their job is to fix and recharge shared electric scooters and bicycles at the local distribution centre. According to research, people in Helsinki want customer service locations, eco-friendly delivery, and flexible service.
Reducing the number of loud cars in central Helsinki is the goal of the distribution centre. Big vans transport DB Schenker, a project partner, supplies to the nearby distribution centre. Packages are distributed among electric delivery vans, LMAD autonomous delivery robots, and A2B and DB Schenker cargo bikes in the centre. Rolan, a supplier of smart transportation and logistics services, is one of the project partners. They are responsible for maintaining and charging the shared electric scooters and bicycles at the local distribution centre.
“Our surveys have shown that Helsinki residents are hoping for flexible service, eco-friendly deliveries and customer service points. We are aiming to meet these needs with the local distribution centre,”
Matias Oikari, Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki
The goal of the pilot project is to determine how a multi-service local distribution centre may work as a link in the logistics chain in a densely populated area and how it might support environmentally friendly delivery options for deliveries inside cities, particularly those headed toward downtown Helsinki.
“The pilot’s operating model does not only make package deliveries more efficient and reduce unnecessary driving, but it also reduces emissions by replacing conventional vans with eco-friendlier alternatives. As the non-profit innovation company of the City of Helsinki, we want to promote cooperation between various operators to achieve emissions reductions,”
Matias Oikari, Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki
The talking Helsinki Robot HeRo), which was tested in the Ruoholahti and Jätkäsaari districts in December 2023, will now be joined by the smaller NeRo (No emissions Robot). Autonomous robots are like mobile parcel lockers. With the robots’ help, those living near the distribution centre can have their packages delivered close to home throughout the summer.
Watch a short video explainer by clicking the image above.
Why is last-mile logistics in Helsinki so special? Managing the local distribution centre requires facilitating cooperation amongst the many parties. Forum Virium Helsinki, the non-profit innovation corporation of the City of Helsinki, serves as an impartial intermediary, guaranteeing that all parties involved will safely exchange their data and get equitable advantages from the EU Horizon-funded facilities. In addition to giving businesses a chance to test out new services, Forum Virium will improve resident service quality and—most importantly—help Helsinki successfully execute its city strategy and meet its carbon neutrality goals. It is difficult to bring the main logistical service providers under one roof because of global red tape, business-specific regulations, and privacy concerns – however, once these problems are resolved, Forum Virium’s work will improve resource efficiency and help decarbonize urban logistics in a number of ways, such as by consolidating packages and reducing the number of vehicles in the city centre.
Based on the resident survey done in collaboration with the students from Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki, it became evident that the majority of the residents in Helsinki are curious about novel innovations, such as autonomous delivery vehicles, and willing to try them out at least once. Approximately 83% of the respondents have used parcel locker systems to pick up their parcels and more than half of them are extremely satisfied with the service. The latest autonomous delivery vehicles are providing the same service but with another layer of convenience when the customer can choose the one hour time slot and location based on their own preferences. That’s why the last-mile logistics innovations are expected to be vastly popular in Helsinki. More information Watch a short video of the centre and robots & download photos (Photos: Vesa Laitinen, Videos: Flux Productions) The pilot project will run until the end of August. Media representatives can book a guided tour of the centre, bikes and robots by contacting the persons listed below. The local distribution centre (microhub) is located on the pedestrian deck of Ruoholahti Shopping Centre, at the address: Itämerenkatu 21, Helsinki. The local distribution centre is open to customers during the opening hours of the DHL Express customer service desk, Monday–Friday 10.30 AM – 5.30 PM.
For more information, please contact Matias Oikari, Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki, +358 40 664 8877, matias.oikari@forumvirium.fi