The Growth of E-Commerce Due to COVID-19 and the Need for Urban Logistics Centers Using Electric Vehicles: Bratislava Case Study

Tomáš Settey,Oľga Blažeková,Jozef Gnap,Dominika Beňová,Michal Pavličko

doi:10.3390/su13105357

Abstract

Before the COVID-19 pandemic there had already been an increase in individual shipment transportation including inner-city areas. During the pandemic and implementation of adopted preventive measures, it has increased by more than 100% in some cities. This presents an unsustainable development, particularly in terms of urban environment. The above-mentioned development has accelerated the research related to optimal allocation of logistics centres considering the last-mile distribution. Unfortunately, the theoretical mathematical model that finds an optimal urban logistics centre location based on the matrix of distance, number, and weight of shipments is not applicable in most cities. Therefore, the following research methodology was chosen in accordance with the approved territorial plan. The authors considered those locations in Bratislava—the capital of Slovak Republic—which are designated, or suitable for building up of an urban logistics centre. These localities were afterwards evaluated in a real-world case study employing methods of mathematical programming (linear programming), the nearest neighbour method, and the Clarke-Wright method. The presented methodology can be applied not only when deciding on the appropriate location of the city logistics centre, but also at optimizing the vehicle routing problem. Taking into account the urban logistics sustainability and the e-commerce growth, it was analysed whether the suggested location of urban logistics centre is feasible to provision examined facilities using electric vehicles. The range of considered electric vehicles of N2 category present in the market tends to be at the limits of distribution routes length for the given case study. Therefore, the article also deals with the fast-charging possibilities of vehicles during handling operations and the use of hybrid freight vehicles in city logistics.

Highlights

A growing number of city inhabitants goes hand in hand with growing needs within the sectors of urban mobility and urban logistics
Following analysis of the valid territorial plan of Bratislava city, the authors chose four possible localities designated for application in logistics, namely for building up warehouses, with a potential to provide transport services in the inner city and with an appropriate area for urban logistics centre development (Figure 4)
It is possible to build up an urban logistics centre in the following districts: Záhorská Bystrica (A), Rača-Svätý Jur (B), Ružinov (C), and Petržalka (D)

Summary

Introduction

A growing number of city inhabitants goes hand in hand with growing needs within the sectors of urban mobility and urban logistics (city logistics). These growing needs result in an increase in the number of vehicles on roads. Cities are trying hard to solve the problem of the growing number of vehicles because of their negative impact on the environment, their impact on the health of city inhabitants, and due to the way they influence the quality of roads and public spaces in the cities. Logistics centres mainly secure the flow of a big amount of goods between suppliers and manufacturers, and between manufacturers and end-consumers. The role of the logistic centers in the retail chain is to provide an uninterrupted operation of large retail networks via last mile deliveries. Before the COVID-19 pandemic there had already been an extreme increase in individual shipment transportation including inner-city areas, prior to Christmas

Methods

Results

Conclusion