Logistic solutions for future dense cities

A demo for investigating the opportunities for using waterways in the city of Gothenburg has recently taken place in Sweden. The DenCity project is studying how waterways can become part of the city transport solution. Cities becomes denser, more people, more goods and more waste needs to be transported. The waterways are almost an untapped resource in Gothenburg. There is a great deal of space available for transporting goods and waste, and moving the transport to waterways would relieve the pressure on the roads and reduce both congestion and noise pollution. SSPA will evaluate how the use of the city waterways could be scaled up and become a commercial solution in the future.

The demonstration was carried out by SSPA in close cooperation with DHL Freight, Pling Transport, Primär, Sandinge and Renova. During a period of two-weeks, the barge collects package freight every day from the DHL terminal in Hisings Backa, a couple of kilometres upstream from Gothenburg city centre, which was then unloaded in the city centre at Rosenlund for onward distribution by Plings cargo bike and Lindholmen for distribution by Primärs electric vehicle. Waste was then loaded on the vessel and transported from Lindholmen to Sävenäs for recycling to electricity and heat.

SSPAs assignment was to take overall responsibility and conduct the entire work package for the demonstration project. Our experts are measuring, analysing, and evaluating all collected data, such as time for transport, loading, unloading, deviations from the expected time, fuel consumption, noise and costs. The experience from the participants will also be analysed and evaluated. 

- “There has been “desktop investigations” showing that it should work, but we also need to implement it in reality, learn lessons, to see what unexpected events may occur, measure how long the different phases will take and see how it actually works, says Martin Svanberg, researcher at SSPA and Project Manager for this demonstration. 

The DenCity project is a collaboration between industry, academia and society. Read more about the project at www.dencity.se

Look at this Swedish video, with an interview with Martin Svanberg, researcher at SSPA (by LindholmenSweden)

Photos and illustrations

A demonstration of logistic solutions for future dense cities.

SSPAs experts has designed and performed the demonstration set-up that focuses on logistical arrangements.

Waste is loaded on the vessel and transported from Lindholmen to Sävenäs for recycling to electricity and heat.

We will evaluate how the use of the city waterways could be scaled up and become a commercial solution in the future.