Co-funded by the European Union, the Kulkee – Climate-smart, innovative, and energy-efficient transport project promotes emission reductions in the logistics sector of the Helsinki metropolitan area, as well as the sustainable development and competitiveness of businesses.
Objectives
The Kulkee project combines the goals of cities, the logistics sector, and growth companies developing new solutions for the industry. The project promotes the adoption of clean transition solutions in logistics and helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) maintain their competitiveness during this transition.
For the logistics sector, Kulkee brings new energy-efficient, low-emission, and resource-wise solutions and operating models. For companies offering emission reduction and energy efficiency solutions for logistics, the project fosters piloting opportunities, growth, and export promotion. The Kulkee project develops a green logistics growth ecosystem in the capital region to support industry collaboration and the creation of new solutions.
For cities, the project offers a unique platform for cooperation both with the logistics sector and among themselves. Vantaa, Espoo, and (Forum Virium) Helsinki are working closely together on the project alongside RDI activities (Metropolia) and the logistics industry (LIMOWA and the Vantaa Logistics Cluster).
Logistics in the capital region operates independently of municipal borders and is strongly market-driven. Such cooperation is essential to enable a smooth and widespread clean transition. The goal of the project is to launch permanent sustainable logistics cooperation in the capital region, coordinated by the City of Vantaa’s logistics cluster.
Duration, partners, and funding
- Project duration: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2028
- Partners: Coordinated by Forum Virium Helsinki. Co-implementers include the City of Espoo, the City of Vantaa, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, and LIMOWA.
- Funder: Co-funded by the European Union and the Regional Council of Uusimaa (ERDF), through the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Ecosystem Agreement (HEVi).
- Budget: The total project budget is €1,168,812, of which ERDF funding accounts for €657,919. Forum Virium Helsinki’s share of the total budget is €312,254.
Forum Virium Helsinki’s role
As the project coordinator, Forum Virium Helsinki is responsible for the overall content coordination, internal and external communication, and the implementation/rollout of project results. Additionally, Forum Virium Helsinki holds coordination responsibility for compiling information on regulatory changes with financing and subsidy possibilities for businesses.
Benefits for Helsinki
The Kulkee project works in close collaboration with the Urban Environment Division of the City of Helsinki on transport emission reduction work. For its part, Kulkee continues the work of the city’s own MADLESS project (Meta-Analysis Driven Logistics Emission Solutions through Stakeholder Collaboration) as a facilitator of stakeholder cooperation and as an implementer of research knowledge into urban logistics emission reduction work.
Kulkee is one of the projects under the “Promoting the electrification of delivery and heavy transport” action item in the transport section of Helsinki’s Climate Programme 2026–2029, and the project results will help the city supplement its toolkit for reducing transport emissions.
Sustainability
The Kulkee project strongly promotes transport emission reduction efforts aimed at reducing both greenhouse gas emissions affecting climate change and local emissions. It promotes the use of domestic fossil-free energy.
In its operations, the project promotes gender equality and the status of minorities by making logistics emission reduction work inclusive and accessible to all. It supports the renewal of the logistics sector and its future as a good employer and an enabler of sustainable growth in the capital region.
Read more
Explore the lessons learned from the previous eCargo project and the recommendations of the City of Helsinki’s MADLESS project (in Finnish) for reducing urban logistics emissions.
Project channels
Join the discussion and discover new insights in the Finnish speaking LinkedIn group: Reducing Urban Logistics Emissions.