bpost is launching sustainable deliveries of newspapers, parcels and letters in more and more towns and cities. Ostend is the first coastal town to roll out zero-emission deliveries. The full electrification of the fleet ensures that all postwomen and men in postcode zone 8400 leave the delivery office on their rounds in sustainable vehicles. The revamped fleet currently comprises 35 electric vans and 15 bikes with trailer. More bikes will be added over time. ​

Ostend postwoman Claudia Poldervaart says: “After years driving a diesel engine it took some time to get used to my new electric bike. Learning to manoeuvre with the trailer in particular took some adjusting. I had completely got the hang of it after a couple of days. Now I wouldn’t want any other vehicle on my round, especially not in the town centre.”

Low-traffic town centre improves safety

The rounds for 41,000 inhabitants in the town centre are almost exclusively made with electric bikes with trailer. This is the ideal vehicle to navigate busy urban pedestrian and cycle environments. bpost only uses electric vans to deliver large parcels. This has led to a reduction in the number of journeys and the distance covered in motorised vehicles in the town centre. This low-traffic approach in the town centre, along with the improvement in air quality, also creates a safer environment for local residents.

An extra distribution Microhub has also opened in Ostend town centre. This is needed because the postwomen and men leaving the delivery office cannot always take all the parcels for their round as their trailers is already fully loaded. At the Microhub they can load up their trailer again and so finish their round without needing to return to the delivery office.

Jochem Vincke, Ostend Mail Center Manager says: “ With 70,000 inhabitants, Ostend is currently one of bpost’s biggest zero-emission zones. During the holidays we also notice a rise in the number of second homers and tourists and so also in the number of parcels. So everyone benefits from our transition to a greener fleet, because while these second homers and tourists do shop online, they obviously also want to enjoy the healthy sea air when in Ostend.”

Sustainability with the same quality standards

bpost wants to reduce its ecological footprint while making fast, efficient deliveries. The company is always looking for ways to improve the sustainability of its logistics processes. With this in mind, Ecozones – zero-emission delivery zones – are a significant solution for delivering parcels in a more ecologically friendly way. Ostend is the latest addition to the list of zero-emission towns and cities in Flanders, but the same approach has been adopted in Wallonia. Indeed, today also sees the announcement of a new Ecozone in Seraing in the Walloon Region. In doing so, bpost continues its fight against climate change by focusing on sustainable initiatives, such as green deliveries in a growing number of towns and cities throughout the country.

Ostend, some key figures

70 postwomen and men on 50 sustainable rounds

bpost green fleet:

35 electric vans

15 electric bikes with trailer

42 charging stations

Network of 20 pick-up points:

1 Post Office

7 Post Points

7 Parcel Points

5 Parcel lockers

Source: bpost