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Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Logistics: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

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  • Vasco Silva

    (INESC TEC-Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
    School of Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal)

  • António Amaral

    (INESC TEC-Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
    School of Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015 Porto, Portugal)

  • Tânia Fontes

    (INESC TEC-Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

Globalisation, urbanisation and the recent COVID-19 pandemic has been raising the demand for logistic activities. This change is affecting the entire supply chain, especially the last-mile step. This step is considered the most expensive and ineffective part of the supply chain and a source of negative economic, environmental and social externalities. This article aims to characterise the sustainable urban last-mile logistics research field through a systematic literature review (N = 102). This wide and holistic review was organised into six thematic clusters that identified the main concepts addressed in the different areas of the last-mile research and the existence of 14 solutions, grouped into three types (vehicular, operational, and organisational solutions). The major findings are that there are no ideal last-mile solutions as their limitations should be further explored by considering the so-called “triple bottom line of sustainability”; the integration and combination of multiple last-mile alternative concepts; or by establishing collaboration schemes that minimise the stakeholders’ conflicting interests.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasco Silva & António Amaral & Tânia Fontes, 2023. "Sustainable Urban Last-Mile Logistics: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-27, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:3:p:2285-:d:1047425
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    References listed on IDEAS

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