Water Logistics
Trialling a sustainable riverboat delivery service Guy’s and St Thomas’ has become the first NHS Trust in the country to pilot a daily riverboat delivery service for its supplies, which are then couriered for the last mile by electric cargo bike Guy’s and St Thomas’ has teamed up with CEVA Logistics, Absolutely and Livett’s Group to trial a riverboat delivery service on the River Thames as part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions and tackle air pollution Launched on Clean Air Day (17 June), the trial sees Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust receive its supplies by boat and then ferried the ‘last mile’ by cargo bike. If the proof-of-concept pilot is successful, the service will operate on a larger scale, removing trucks from the capital’s roads while providing a reliable delivery route into London during the day. The Trust’s three delivery trucks currently travel around 1,500 miles per week. For each truck removed from the road, approximately 708 kgs of CO2 could be saved per week. The service would help Guy’s and St Thomas’ work towards its aim of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and support the
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every year. The Trust includes Guy’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital, Harefield Hospital, and adult and children’s community services in Lambeth and Southwark As one of the biggest NHS trusts in Mayor of London’s aim to reduce the number the UK, with an annual turnover of £2.1 of lorries and vans entering central London billion, it employs around 22,000 staff. in the morning peak by 10 per cent by 2026. The riverboat pilot service will run twice a David Lawson, chief procurement officer at day, five days a week. Parcels will be loaded Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “The riverboat onto the boat at Dartford International pilot forms a key part in our ambition to Ferry Terminal in Kent, before making the remove over 40,000 truck deliveries from journey to Butler’s Wharf Pier in London. The central London roads each year. We also parcels, which include clinical supplies for want to encourage and support other operating theatres, will then be transported organisations to adopt the use of zero by Absolutely, the final mile delivery partner, emission delivery models to improve air on electric cargo bikes to Guy’s Hospital. quality for the communities that we serve.” Stuart Godman, CEO at Absolutely, said: “We are very proud to How it will work have been chosen as the final Guy’s and St Thomas’ The mile delivery partner. As provides 2.9 million service a business, we want to patient contacts in help Gu will build on our reputation acute and specialist as a true ambassador hospital services and St Thom y’s and for carbon neutrality. community services as’ w
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