Greening Urban Freight with River Transport

1. Inspired by an internship at a French civil engineering firm, I led a project exploring river transport as a sustainable alternative to road transport for construction materials. I expanded this research by analyzing the environmental and economic benefits of shifting to river logistics in urban settings like Paris and Chicago. The project resulted in a concise, data-driven report that was shared with companies and public organizations to encourage more sustainable urban freight strategies. Through this initiative, I aimed to raise awareness and support real-world change in urban mobility systems, a sector contributing largely in greenhouse gas emissions

2.Urban freight transport is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. I chose this project because river transport offers an underused yet promising solution to reduce the environmental impact of construction logistics in cities. My goal was to bridge the gap between technical feasibility and real-world implementation by providing accessible, actionable information to key stakeholders.

3. The project led to the creation of a short research report analyzing the environmental and economic advantages of river transport in urban areas, using case studies like Paris and Chicago. As I enrolled in the Certificate in Winter 25 and am graduating in Spring 25, I haven’t had the time to finish it, but the goal is to share the report with around 10 engineering firms, public agencies, and sustainability networks in France and the U.S., and get feedback on the idea and the possible adaptation or testing of this method in at least two of those.

4. This project is an individual initiative, with potential interactions with the company where the initial study was conducted. The final report will be sent to relevant organizations, including:
– Public agencies (I thought about Paris City Hall, Chicago Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, French Ministry of Ecological Transition…)
– Maybe logistics and construction companies such as Vinci, Bouygues, FedEx, DHL.
– Sustainability organizations like World Resources Institute, Urban Sustainability Directors Network.

5. I am the only person responsible for conducting this research, structuring the report, and identifying potential recipients. My role includes:
– Conducting a literature review on river transport in urban logistics.
– Analyzing economic and environmental data from my internship experience and research.
– Structuring the findings into a clear, accessible document.
– Reaching out to companies and organizations to share the study.
This project extends beyond my internship, as its goal is to generalize the findings and promote them at a broader level, advocating for sustainability in urban logistics.