River transport being championed as a cleaner way of delivering goods in France

The French city of Strasbourg is is serving as a model for how cities can use waterways to limit traffic and air pollution, having banned trucks over 7.5 tonnes from the city centre. Boats along the Rhine river have now come to replace vans, which can only deliver goods until 10.30 am.

Making use of waterways as a modern mode of transport and a cleaner way of delivering goods by replacing vans with boats is boat delivery service, Urban Logistic Solutions, which operates in France’s eastern Alsace region.

Urban Logistic Solutions’ boat can reach the centre of Strasbourg in less than 30 minutes, transporting up to 122 tonnes of goods, which is the equivalent of 150 vans. Once the boat docks outside Strasbourg’s cathedral, the journey continues on electric bicycles that can carry loads of 180 kg. The company has even begun delivering supplies to construction sites.

Thomas Castan, founder of Urban Logistic Solutions, said: “It is incredibly fast, incredibly easy and not at all a nuisance for resident. It can solve a major part of the pollution problem, as well as congestion and traffic problems.”

The Urban Logistic Solutions founder is one of a number of people in France championing river transport as the below report from France 24 investigates.