Distribution Models Using Waterway Transport for City Logistics

Abstract

This paper focuses on the opportunities for implementation and optimization of city logistic systems using inland waterway transport. In European countries, there are only a few practical cases of the use of inland vessel as an alternative ecological transport mean for the last mile delivery. These cases are solved individually due to their specific local conditions (e.g. geographic, demographic and urbanistic). Currently there is no general methodology for implementation of city logistic systems using inland waterway transport. In this paper, typical distribution models using inland waterways for city logistic are deduced from the analysis of European examples. The possibilities for optimization of transport service using inland waterways in the urban areas are also described.