Towards zero-emission distribution by 2030
THE future of distribution is towards zero-emission for cities and low emission outside major cities. By 2030, supplying Malaysia’s largest cities via by zero-emission vehicles, better known as electric vehicles, should be achievable.
In fact, Malaysia’s automotive policy already promotes the manufacturing and assembly of electric vehicles as well its related infrastructure through attractive investment incentives. Hence, Malaysia is expected to be one of the first-movers in Southeast Asia to lead this transformation towards electric vehicles.
Biodiesel and biogas vehicles (low emission vehicles), based on palm oil and other bio-waste, will play a significant role by 2030 for long distance transport, as well as to serve smaller cities, towns and villages.
In order to make the transition to electric vehicles possible, concerted effort is needed by retailers, logistics service providers, industry associations, city councils and other stakeholders.
Share success stories to stimulate others to follow. The introduction of a “Green City” logo for retail outlets that are 100 per cent supplied by electric vehicles provide a stimulus for retailers. A pilot project for a particular sector, like coffee shops, could be another great first move.
SMART CITIES
Meanwhile, cities are getting bigger and, like in the Klang Valley, cities are melting together into metropolises. The high density of people living and working together requires massive transportation volumes of consumer goods, express deliveries, industrial goods, inventories, construction materials, but also waste. Can we organise the flow of these goods more efficiently?
By 2030, a metropolis will need additional logistics infrastructure to deal more efficiently with these vast volumes of goods through innovative technologies, such as pipeline infrastructure using cargo capsules to transport goods to these mega cities.
These pipelines connect the city to a city logistics hub, located just outside the city, or even all the way to an airport or seaport.
Cities are in constant flux through renovations, demolitions and new construction. To do this without disrupting traffic is far more challenging in a busy metropolis as compared with a small town.
Today, construction projects heavily disrupt traffic, as they are often not well planned from a logistics point of view.
Big trucks supply large amounts of construction materials that, in many cases, will be needed during the entire construction project. This can and should be done differently!
Construction projects in a city require logistics command-andcontrol centres that manage the logistics of the various construction projects in a city.
The city of London already works longer with data-driven command-and-control centres, managing 10 to 20 construction projects at a time.
All materials needed are received and stored at a construction hub outside the city. Only the materials necessary for the day are sent to the various construction sites in the city. Better logistics coordination of construction projects and just-in-time deliveries result in less heavy vehicles on the city’s roads and fewer disruptions to traffic.
In summary, logistics must play a far bigger role in the development of cities than it has today. City logistics shall be smarter, faster and cleaner.
In fact, Malaysia’s automotive policy already promotes the manufacturing and assembly of electric vehicles as well its related infrastructure with attractive investment incentives.