An open collaboration model for all

The consortium is open to all companies and organisations wishing to use the services of the Urban Waterway Logistics platform. Hence, the operation is housed in a non-profit organisation.

Taks

Urban Waterway Logistics intends to focus on the following tasks:

  • Organising urban distribution for all possible applications ism with a working model from the social economy
  • Study of modal shift opportunities in various sectors, data gathering, needs and supply analysis ...
  • Bring in data and learning models from other cities (Paris, London, Utrecht....) where such systems exist and downsize to a workable Flemish model.
  • Interpretation of these data, advice to city and higher authorities of the needs and necessities, pain points... in order to realise a modal shift to inland shipping on the one hand and to work out an efficient workable model for urban logistics on the other.
  • Bringing together supply and demand in the logistics market from different sectors to achieve modal shift to inland shipping as part of the logistics chain.
  • Expansion of multimodal terminals and hubs in and around the city.
  • Development of a supply chain management system where each item can be tracked (track & trace), costs are passed to and from parties...

In various projects I have included the city of Ghent with its finely-meshed water network as a test area to test e.g. the first emission-free electrically-powered "urban boat", develop the first hydrogen-powered boat, conduct research into autonomous sailing, test autonomous sailing with different vessels in a "milk round", ...

We are working with the consortium and other stakeholders mainly on the practical elaboration around regional supply of (construction) materials and urban distribution via the waterway and on the follow-up with studies and research.

Early Adopters

Given the importance of the project and the major impact of mobility and mobility policy on the construction sector in the Ghent region, after thorough consultation, a cooperation between the main traders in building materials in the region of the city of Ghent was established in the form of a consortium.

These early adaptors are engaging in this project. These are complementary players in the same Ghent construction market who have known each other for three generations and will now work together.

Due to the sustainable CO2-neutral approach, we have support from many companies and organisations : FEMA (Federation of 199 traders in building materials), Training Centre for Wood and Construction asbl, Zero Emission Solutions bvba, breweries, beer suppliers, manufacturers of building materials, ...

History

For several years, we as a group of companies have been preparing to organise construction logistics by water in Ghent. Systematically, through advancing insight, there have been new twists in this story in order to grow into a strong consortium open to all sectors and companies in order to develop water-bound transport of goods in Ghent.

In response to traffic congestion, the introduction of Low Emission Zones, the circulation plan, urban sprawl, time locks for transport in and out of the city, lack of parking spaces... the building materials traders traditionally based in Ghent held a consultation in early 2017 to consider how best to deal with it as a company to give the same level of service to customers.

Spurred on by Peter Geirnaert, that consultation grew into a permanent structure with these building materials traders. By joining a European project, the opportunity arose to develop a dedicated vessel for urban distribution tailored to the city of Ghent.

To organise urban distribution by waterway, a hands-on approach is used and several working groups have been proposed to gradually analyse and respond to the problems that arise.

This planned approach should result in a supported elaborate roadmap to integrate the modal shift to the waterway into Ghent's cityscape.