Omniva has opened its first MicroHUB in Tallinn, placing a specially adapted container equipped with security systems inside a courier’s delivery area so that couriers can collect additional parcels during their rounds instead of making a lengthy round trip to a sorting centre.
The international technology and logistics group said the arrangement is intended to reduce van journeys in Tallinn and support greener urban logistics. Couriers are expected to save time and help parcels reach customers faster; the hub also allows Omniva to use more cargo bikes instead of vans for parcel deliveries.
Omniva plans to assess initial results within a month and use them to determine next steps. In the next phase, it intends to test parcel collection from the MicroHUB with Crowd Delivery couriers. If the pilot is successful, the company plans to introduce more MicroHUBs in Tallinn and a similar solution in Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas.
Hannes Falten, head of delivery innovation at Omniva, said initial estimates suggest that a MicroHUB could save each courier up to three hours a day and allow them to serve around 20 additional customers. He described the approach as an opportunity to handle growing parcel volumes without putting more vans on city streets and to move toward smarter logistics with a smaller environmental footprint.
The first hub also has a painted exterior by street artist S-Boy’s team, intended to bring more colour and character to the neighbourhood. Omniva said the pilot’s results will help determine how the concept is developed.