DB Schenker on the way to sustainable distribution in Norway
DB Schenker is strengthening its position in the Norwegian market. To this end, the German logistics company has been adding new options for the customers. Which ones?
In April DB Schenker declared a goal to reach zero-emission delivery for its city distribution operations in all major Norwegian cities by the end of 2021. It fits into the context of the company’s global fossil fuel decline. The Norwegian division is at the forefront of this idea.
Low-carbon distribution centres
The company already has a successful green experience with its Oslo City Hub. It was established in the core of the Norwegian capital in May 2019 and became the world’s first green distribution centre of its kind. The low-carbon city distribution centre was constructed from containers and organized for effective goods handling.
What is more, 100 per cent of the local delivery vehicles were changed from diesel- to electric drive in 2020. Since then, around 800 consignments in Oslo having been delivered using company’s electric vehicles (vans and bicycles). The Oslo City Hub became the proof of successful sustainable urban logistics concept. Soon, this practice will be expanded to other Norwegian cities.
Green vehicles for cities
Currently, DB Schenker uses few models of electric trucks in Oslo (Volvo FL, Mitsubishi FUSO eCanter, MAN eTGE). This spring, DB Schenker is going to roll out 25 new additional electric trucks and vans throughout the country. The electric fleet will then consist of a total of 42 electric trucks. It must lead to reduction of 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emission per year in Norway.
Reducing emissions is not the only idea company professes. There is not enough space for truck in the cities, is says. That’s why DB Schenker started using electric-powered cargo bicycles for the city distribution. This kind of delivery was tested in Bergen in 2020. Rather than drive package-laden trucks into the city centre, the company set up a microhub where packages were transferred from trucks to bikes.
Each bike can carry up to 300 kilograms and needs recharging only once a day. The trial has shown such benefits as a better accessibility, easy parking and, thereby, 40 per cent higher productivity comparing to the trucks. By the end of 2021, company to be using 5 electric bikes in Oslo. Bike system will also run in Trondheim, Drammen, Kristiansand and Stavanger.
Moving forward and up
DB Schenker takes part in the H2 Truck project. It aims to deploy at least 100 hydrogen trucks on Norwegian roads by 2025. Few logistic companies are involved in it. DB Schenker is going to lead the heavy vehicles segment. According to the Norwegian Environment Agency, road transport in Oslo accounts for nearly half of greenhouse gas emissions, and heavy transport accounts for 23 per cent of these emissions.
DB Schenker also looks for clients to use delivery by cargo drones. For this purpose, Volocopter designed the VoloDrone, high power electric drone. It has a height of more than 2 metres and is designed to carry a standard euro pallet. VoloDrone has a payload of 200 kilograms, a range of 40 kilometres and a cruising speed of 80 kilometres per hour. DB Schenker states that the number of projects will be limited initially. Soon drones will be able to meet customer needs for fast, emission-free delivery, the company states.