Start of DECARBOMILE

The parcel delivery industry in Germany is booming: the number of parcels shipped has been increasing for years – and with it, the CO2 emissions generated by their transport. To make deliveries climate-neutral and acceptable for people, alternative means of transport must be found. How this can succeed has now been tested by the Horizon Europe project "DECARBOMILE – Five Pillars to DECARBOnize the Last MILE Logistics."  

The goal of the project is to trial solutions for climate-friendly logistics on the last mile. A key focus is the use of waterways for parcel transport to reduce urban CO2, noise, and pollutant emissions and to relieve road infrastructure. Since 2023, the project partners have been developing concepts for the use of innovative transport modes. For the "Living Lab Hamburg," a boat powered by the renewable fuel HVO100 was deployed during the six-week test phase. This fuel can significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuels and enables realistic demonstrations on canals and urban water bodies.  

To turn this scenario into reality, Heike Flämig, Professor of Supply Chains and Logistics at TU Hamburg, together with her scientific staff Katharina Beck, Fabian Fermazin, and Jutta Wolff, have worked for several years with project partners from Hamburg and across Europe. Now, within the framework of the DECARBOMILE project, parcel delivery involving the use of waterways has been tested for the first time in Hamburg. 

On the penultimate mile, parcels are transported by a barge from Billbrook via the Fleet and canal network into the city center. The last mile is then covered emission-free by electric cargo bike. During the preparation phase, important insights into urban logistics and the use of Hamburg's waterways were gained. These feed into the current testing and future projects on emission-free transport chains. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heike Flämig explains: "Through the Living Lab, we can demonstrate that transports for the (pen)ultimate mile via the water are possible in Hamburg. We will process the many insights gained for future projects in order to realize maximum benefits for the city, society, the environment, and the economy."  

For Deutsche Post, emission-free and low-emission delivery is an important topic. Katharina Putz, Branch Manager of Deutsche Post DHL Hamburg, states: "We currently deliver our shipments in the entire Hamburg urban area more than 80 percent emission-free. Nevertheless, we were happy to participate in the project to jointly test possible use of Hamburg’s waterways with the city."  

In Hamburg, TU Hamburg, the Logistics Initiative Hamburg, the Hamburg-Mitte district, the Senate Chancellery, the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Innovation, Deutsche Post DHL, and NMS New Mobility Solutions are collaborating. The project builds upon findings from the feasibility study "Water Cargo Barge" and the EU project "AVATAR." Besides Hamburg, Logroño (Spain), Nantes (France), and Istanbul (Turkey) are also testing bimodal delivery solutions. DECARBOMILE is part of the EU research program Horizon Europe and contributes to further developing waterways as sustainable transport corridors of the future.  

More information:  DECARBOMILE in Hamburg: What's happening? - hamburg.de