Omniva, the international technology and logistics group, has opened its first MicroHUB in Tallinn as a pilot intended to reduce the number of van journeys made during parcel delivery in the city.
The hub is a purpose-adapted container fitted with security systems and sited inside a courier's own delivery area. Rather than driving back to a sorting centre to reload, couriers can pick up additional parcels while completing their rounds. According to Omniva, the arrangement enables it to use more cargo bikes instead of vans, and couriers are expected to save time so that parcels reach customers faster, supporting greener urban logistics.
Trial timeline and planned next steps
The first results from the pilot are expected within a month and will help determine what the company does next. In a second phase, Omniva plans to test parcel collection from the MicroHUB with Crowd Delivery couriers.
Should the trial prove successful, the company intends to introduce further MicroHUBs in Tallinn and to roll out a similar solution in Riga, Vilnius and Kaunas.
Company estimates and street-art exterior
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 framed the model as a way to handle growing parcel volumes without putting more vans on city streets, moving towards smarter logistics with a smaller environmental footprint.
Falten also pointed to a visual side to the project: the exterior of the first MicroHUB was painted by street artist S-Boy's team, with the aim of bringing more colour and character to the neighbourhood and giving passers-by something worth stopping to look at.