Omniva, an international technology and logistics group, has opened its first MicroHUB in Tallinn. The hub is a specially adapted container with security systems, placed inside a courier’s delivery area.
The setup is intended to reduce van journeys in Tallinn. Instead of making a long round trip to a sorting centre, couriers can pick up additional parcels while working their routes. Omniva says this allows it to use more cargo bikes rather than vans for parcel deliveries.
The first results from the pilot are expected within a month and will inform the next steps. In the next phase, Omniva plans to test parcel collection from the MicroHUB with Crowd Delivery couriers.
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 adding more vans on city streets, moving toward smarter logistics with a smaller environmental footprint.
Omniva said the hub also has a creative element: its exterior was painted by street artist S-Boy’s team to add colour and character to the neighbourhood.
If the pilot is successful, Omniva plans to introduce more MicroHUBs in Tallinn and a similar solution in Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas.