The choice between heaven and hell

Amsterdam faces a major logistics challenge: from January 2025 onwards, polluting delivery vans will no longer be allowed in the city centre. How can entrepreneurs and suppliers in the food sector prepare for this and turn the transition into a success? Four fourth-year students from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) are working together in an interdisciplinary graduation circle to find solutions. They are addressing both the technical aspects of this issue and the communication side. Drawing on their different fields of study, they analyse the problem and develop a joint recommendation for the Amsterdam Transport Region (Vervoerregio Amsterdam). As part of their research, they used this working session as a focus group with stakeholders from the Amsterdam InChange network.   

Opening of the session

Stan van der Meer (Logistics Management), Chanel Pinas (Digital Marketing), Jay van den Boog (Digital Marketing), and Vanessa Man (Logistics Engineering) opened the session with a few questions to get a sense of the participants in the room. The attendees rated their own level of expertise on the topic and wrote down a word they associated with the issue. 

The room was filled with expertise: policymakers from the Municipality of Amsterdam directly involved in the issue, as well as researchers and advisors from Arcadis and Cenex who are actively working on zero-emission logistics. Representatives from the Port of Amsterdam and EIT Urban Mobility (a European network) were also present, each bringing their own perspective on the challenge.   

Statements and discussion

The students facilitated the discussion by presenting a number of statements, and moderating the group discussions that followed. Below are a few observations. 
 
Statements 1 and 2 (summarized): Amsterdam entrepreneurs are aware of the new zero-emission policy, and it is clearly presented to them.  
There was broad consensus within the group regarding the city’s policy. Communication from the Municipality of Amsterdam has been extensive over the past ten years — first targeting larger logistics partners in the city, and more recently also via letters to local entrepreneurs. In addition, physical signs throughout the city communicate the new regulations. However, what can cause confusion among entrepreneurs are the mixed signals coming from national politics and policies. This can create the impression that there is a lack of determination or vision behind the transition, making entrepreneurs hesitant to invest in new electric vehicles. 
 
Statement 3: There is sufficient support for entrepreneurs to switch to zero-emission transport. 
The group also agreed that the municipality is doing a good job offering financial support where needed. Advisors, for example, are available to guide entrepreneurs through the rules and support options. However, it was noted that the target audience still does not always have a clear overview of all the possibilities. While the municipality communicates well and “presents” the available opportunities, confusion and uncertainty remain among entrepreneurs on the streets. This represents an important communication challenge that the students will further explore. 

Also, regarding this statement and the ones before, it was noted that the (micro)entrepreneurs and stakeholders we were talking about weren't present in the room. It would have been good to have more of the target group in the room, but for this session specifically the policymakers and specialists from our network were the ones the students focussed on. In the following months of their research, their focus will be on the specialists and (micro)entrepreneurs in the food sector.
 
Statement 4: Logistics hubs play an important role in reducing transport movements in the city. 
This part of the discussion became more technical. The group agreed that a new logistics system with greater use of hubs throughout the city is, in theory, a logical and effective step in this transition. In practice, however, it is not as simple as it sounds. For example, consider the Port of Amsterdam — an existing large hub at the edge of the city for water-based transport. While goods can be transferred there to smaller vehicles for distribution within the city, docking on the busy canals poses a significant challenge. Additionally, water transport was the first sector required to become fully electric, and this system is currently somewhat reduced in scale 

Road transport is also complex. Hubs are locations where goods from different suppliers can be combined and delivered with fewer transport movements. But who holds responsibility for these goods if something goes wrong? And how can this be managed without adding too much delivery time?   

One of the participants summarized it well: we are shifting from logistics as a chain, where each party is responsible for a small part, to an ecosystem where all actors and the physical infrastructure depend on one another, share collective responsibility, and need to exchange information and services to keep the system running.    

In-depth interviews

The second part of the session consisted of two breakout groups in which the students could ask targeted questions for the research they are conducting. Jay and Chanel spoke with several participants about the research side of the project, delving deeper into successful research methods that involve entrepreneurs. Stan and Vanessa spoke with another group of participants about potential solutions for this issue, gathering knowledge about existing innovations and solutions or what might still be needed for this logistical transition.   

Follow-up

Through this focus group, the students in this interdisciplinary graduation circle have engaged in dialogue with experts on this topic from various organizations. They also made many new contacts and actively shared their project with the network. During our upcoming Knowledge and Demo Day on June 5, they will once again be part of the program and present their results and potential conclusions. 
 
Would you like to know more about the graduation circle, the research topic, or do you have tips or questions for the students? Feel free to reach out via pelle@amsterdaminchange.com 

🌿 Vier de lente met ons tijdens de Cenex Nederland Lenteborrel 2025! 🌸

[English below]

Op 8 mei 2025 organiseren we weer een nieuwe editie van de Cenex Lenteborrel! Dit jaar is de editie open voor iedereen, het wordt een inspirerende middag vol innovatie, samenwerking en netwerkmogelijkheden.

📍 Locatie: A-lab, Overhoeksplein 2, 1031 KS Amsterdam
🕒 Tijd: 13:30 - 18:30

✨ Wat kun je verwachten?

🔹 13:30 - 15:30 – Inloop & exposanten
Ontmoet onze exposanten en ontdek de nieuwste innovaties op het gebied van mobiliteit en circulariteit.

🔹 13:30 - 15:00 – Twee serious games
Doe mee aan een interactieve sessie en verken de uitdagingen en kansen in de sector op een speelse manier. Liever toeschouwer? Dat kan ook! (Kies één sessie)

🔹 15:30 - 16:45 – Vijf inspirerende keynotes (Engels)
We verwelkomen sprekers van onder andere:
⚡ Coding the Curbs
⚡ Kempower
⚡ Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat
⚡ Circular Campus
⚡ Cenex Nederland

🔹 16:45 - 18:30 – Gezellige Lenteborrel
Sluit de dag af met een hapje en een drankje, terwijl je nieuwe connecties legt met andere professionals.

Houd onze Eventbrite-pagina en LinkedIn in de gaten voor updates over sprekers en exposanten!

📢 Bevestig je aanwezigheid en mis het niet! (Beperkt aantal tickets beschikbaar)

Registreer hier: https://cenex-lenteborrel-2025.eventbrite.nl

-------English

🌿 Join us for the Cenex Spring Reception 2025! 🌸

On May 8, 2025, we’re hosting the latest edition of the Cenex Lenteborrel (Spring Drinks)—and this year, it’s open to all! Expect an inspiring and engaging afternoon filled with innovation, collaboration, and networking.

📍 Location: A-lab, Overhoeksplein 2, 1031 KS Amsterdam
🕒 Time: 13:30 - 18:30

✨ What’s in store?

🔹 13:30 - 15:30 – Walk-in & exhibitor showcase
Meet our exhibitors and explore the latest advancements in mobility and circularity.

🔹 13:30 - 15:00 – Two serious games
Join an interactive session tackling industry challenges in a fun, engaging way. Prefer to observe? That’s possible too! (Choose one session.)

🔹 15:30 - 16:45 – Five inspiring keynotes (English)
Industry leaders will share their insights, including:
⚡ Coding the Curbs
⚡ Kempower
⚡ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
⚡ Circular Campus Delft
⚡ Cenex Netherlands

🔹 16:45 - 18:30 – Spring Networking Reception
Wrap up the day with drinks, bites, and great conversations with fellow professionals.

Stay tuned via our Eventbrite page and LinkedIn for speaker and exhibitor updates!

📢 Confirm your attendance and don’t miss out! (Limited tickets available)

Register here: https://cenex-lenteborrel-2025.eventbrite.nl

🎲♻️ Doe mee aan onze Life Cycle Analysis Serious Game!

Aanstaande dinsdag organiseren we onze Cyclum Vitae-serious game tijdens de Week van de Circulaire Economie!

Bij Cenex Nederland geloven we in het vertalen van kennis naar impact—en dat is precies waar Cyclum Vitae om draait. Dit boeiende bordspel neemt spelers mee op reis om de principes van een Life Cycle Analysis en de milieueffecten van product productie, gebruik en afvalverwerking te begrijpen.

🌱 Wat is de uitdaging? Spelers navigeren door realistische afwegingen, van het kiezen van materialen en productiemethoden tot het beheren van productgebruik en einde-levensduur. Het doel? Het meest duurzame product ontwerpen terwijl je concurrerend blijft in de markt.

📅 Wanneer: 18 maart, 14:00 - 16:00
📍 Waar: A-Lab, Overhoeksplein 2 (Lab 207)

Voor Engels- en Nederlandstaligen

🔗 Meld je aan via e-mail