Bpost: People in Ostend are increasingly finding their way to our Bbox lockers

The explosive growth of online shopping is profoundly changing our cities. The current model, in which parcels are delivered individually to homes, increases challenges such as emissions and traffic congestion. The solution is not to deliver less, but to organise urban logistics more intelligently, so that accessibility, liveability and service can go hand in hand. Compared with home delivery, delivering a parcel to a locker generates almost 30% less CO₂ emissions.

Ostend is piloting the concept together with Bpost and is becoming the first Bbox City. Through the Bbox City Network, the City of Ostend and Bpost aim to reduce the logistical pressure on the city by streamlining parcel distribution. The goal is to reduce fragmentation, create a highly dense network of pick-up points and develop more shared logistics infrastructure.

Laurens Himpe, Chief Automated Parcel Officer at Bpost: “People in Ostend are increasingly finding their way to our Bbox lockers. The figures prove it: the number of parcels delivered to a locker in Ostend over the past 12 months has doubled compared with the previous year. Thanks to the open network, a player such as DHL will now also be able to deliver its parcels to Bbox lockers in Ostend. With this integrated network serving as the logistical backbone of the city, we are already shaping the urban logistics of the future.”

A pick-up point within walking distance in every neighbourhood

Ostend already has 20 Bbox lockers, with around ten more to be added in the coming months, both on private and public land. The network can subsequently be expanded further, depending on capacity needs.

The lockers offer a wide range of additional options for both retailers and residents. People in Ostend can collect or send parcels 24/7 within walking or cycling distance in every neighbourhood. In addition to the Bbox lockers, the city also has a post office and 14 postal and parcel points, where residents who prefer personal service can go during opening hours.

John Crombez, Mayor of Ostend: “The way we receive and send parcels is changing rapidly, and this is also having an impact on our city. As a city, we want to contribute to smart solutions that can accommodate the growth in parcel deliveries while at the same time strengthening accessibility, mobility and quality of life in Ostend. The Bbox City Network makes it easier for residents to collect or send parcels close to home and at a time that suits them, while also helping to reduce traffic and ease pressure on public space.”

Additional opportunities for residents and retailers

Through the Rent & Store service, anyone can also reserve lockers in Bboxes to hand over personal belongings or store them safely.

The local retail sector also benefits from new opportunities offered by the Bbox City Network. Through the Shop & Collect service, retailers can prepare orders for customers and make them available in Bbox lockers. Among others, a pharmacy and a local brewery in Ostend are already using the service to make their products available around the clock.

John Crombez, Mayor of Ostend: “The renewed parcel system brings different logistics players together, avoiding multiple vehicles travelling through the same streets. This is good for the accessibility and liveability of our city, while also creating additional opportunities for local retailers. A dense, neighbourhood-based network also provides residents with greater convenience and flexibility. Together with Bpost, Ostend wants to demonstrate how urban logistics can be organised in a smarter and more efficient way. Being the first city to help shape this partnership is therefore an important and positive step.”