Omniva, an international technology and logistics group, has opened its first MicroHUB in Tallinn as a pilot aimed at reducing van journeys and supporting greener urban deliveries.
The hub is a specially adapted container equipped with security systems and placed within a courier's delivery area. Couriers can collect additional parcels during their rounds instead of making a lengthy trip back to a sorting centre. Omniva says this enables it to use more cargo bikes and fewer vans for parcel deliveries, with couriers expected to save time and parcels expected to reach customers faster.
Initial results are due within a month and will help determine the next steps. In the next phase, Omniva plans to test parcel collection from the MicroHUB with Crowd Delivery couriers.
If the pilot is successful, the company plans to introduce more MicroHUBs in Tallinn and a similar solution in Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas.
Hannes Falten, head of delivery innovation at Omniva, said initial estimates suggest a MicroHUB could save each courier up to three hours a day and allow them to serve around 20 additional customers. He said the approach offered a way to handle growing parcel volumes without putting more vans on city streets and to move toward smarter logistics with a smaller environmental footprint.
The first MicroHUB also has a creative element: its exterior was painted by street artist S-Boy's team to add colour and character to the neighbourhood.