Schiphol milk run to save CO2 emissions

AUG 25, 2015: Schiphol airport’s logistics communities are trialing a ‘Milk Run’ concept to reduce CO2 emissions by replacing forwarders’ truck collections from handling agents with a single delivery.

The partnership project, organised by the forwarders’ steering committee of Air Cargo Netherlands, aims to optimise the inbound supply chain at Amsterdam hub Schiphol by streamlining the delivery of import shipments from handling agents to forwarders’ warehouses. Currently undergoing proving trails, the Milk Run would introduce a single delivery from the handling agent to multiple forwarders’ facilities.

This reduces truck traffic on and around the airport, so cutting truck queues. This, in turn, would improve service for forwarders, release their vehicles and drivers for other more profitable activities, and cut CO2 emissions.

The launch partners in the new Milk Run service are DHL, Panalpina, Nippon Express, Menzies (as the handling agent triallist and scheme manager), Bos Logistics (which provides the collection and delivery service on behalf of Menzies) and community system provider Cargonaut.

The Milk Run system will incorporate an online portal that enables all participants to keep an eye their shipments prior to arrival at Schiphol, until the freight is delivered to the forwarder’s door.

Luc Scheidel, commercial director of Cargonaut, stated: “In the Milk Run, innovation has been achieved through commitment and collaboration from the industry, and the launch partners have co-funded the initiative.

“This is yet another example of how the Schiphol community’s close collaboration enables progress to be made that no individual party could accomplish on its own. This is as important as the early results, which incidentally look very promising.”

Pictured from left to the right: Jeroen Dekker (DHL);Dimitri Brink (Panalpina); Thierry Huizing (Air Cargo Netherlands); Jeroen Giling (Menzies); Frank Bos Jr (Bos Logistics); Martijn Kuiken (Cargonaut)