The volume of shipments in Vienna has been increasing for years and is estimated to double by 2025. That is why the Austrian Chamber of Commerce is looking for new sustainable solutions in logistics. One idea is mandatory parcel lockers in new buildings.
In Vienna, the number of people shopping online is constantly increasing, and with it the volume of shipments. The dynamics of growth was further increased by the coronavirus crisis. The Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) sees a need to implement solutions that will make last-mile delivery logistics more environmentally friendly and reduce empty runs.
The WKO’s ideas for reducing the environmental and traffic impact of urban distribution in the Austrian capital, developed within the framework of the Logistics 2030+ project, focus on the digitisation and expansion of the network of parcel machines.
The Chamber is examining possible solutions in cooperation with the authorities in Vienna. These include the obligation to install parcel machines in new buildings, reports relevant.at. The machines help to reduce the number of empty runs. At present, it is a significant and expensive challenge to deliver parcels in time windows where the courier can find the customer at home. It is therefore sometimes necessary to make another attempt to deliver a package. In turn, fixed or mobile pick-up points, which could be operated by different courier companies, would benefit both the customer and the delivery company.
In addition, as part of the Logistics 2030+ project, WKO also wants more free space in the city centre to be used as logistical hubs to transport goods more efficiently from there to the end customer on the so-called last mile. According to the Chamber of Commerce, overlapping routes by different couriers can be avoided by optimising deliveries through digital platforms.
Shipment volumes will double by 2025
According to WKO, the pandemic has clearly increased the trend of online shopping and the number of shipments delivered in the Austrian capital. On average, every inhabitant of Vienna receives 36 packages per year, excluding business customers. This places Vienna well above the Austrian average of 18.
In 2019, a total of 95.7 million parcels were delivered in the Austrian capital, which is a new record and almost double the figure recorded in 2014 (55.4 mln). This year, before the outbreak of the pandemic, some 110 million parcels were expected to be delivered, and by 2025 this figure could rise to 150-190 million.
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