Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust is trialling daily riverboat deliveries in London to help reduce its carbon emissions.
A three month proof of concept trial is to take place where a riverboat will run twice daily, five days a week between Dartford International Ferry Terminal in Kent and Butler’s Wharf in London. The cargo, that will include supplies for operating theatres, will then be sent the final mile to Guy’s Hospital by e-cargo-bikes run by last mile delivery company Absolutely.
The idea behind using riverboat deliveries is to reduce its reliance on its three delivery vans that drive approximately 1,500 miles a week. For every van taken off the road Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust calculate it would reduce its carbon emissions by 708kg of CO2 weekly. This would in turn help the Trust toward net zero carbon by 2030 and the Mayor of London’s aim to reduce the number of lorries on London’s roads by 10% by 2026.
David Lawson, Chief Procurement Officer at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “The riverboat pilot forms a key part in our ambition to remove over 40,000 truck deliveries from central London roads each year. We also want to encourage and support other organisations to adopt the use of zero emission delivery models to improve air quality for the communities that we serve.”
Stuart Godman, CEO at Absolutely, said: “We are very proud to have been chosen as the final mile delivery partner. As a business, we want to build on our reputation as a true ambassador for carbon neutrality. Significant partnerships, like this, provide the opportunity to utilise our expanding fleet of Electric Cargo Bikes and EV’s and allow us to continue to provide an excellent service, in a more sustainable way, across London.”
James Trimmer, planning & environment director at the Port of London Authority, said: “This innovative scheme is another great example of the river’s potential as a green superhighway. It’s a win-win situation; the tidal Thames can help rebuild the economy post the pandemic and both reduce carbon emissions and air pollution in the capital.”
