Mastering the logistics of the Paris 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set to be the largest event ever organised in France, presents a daunting and unique logistical challenge.

The games hosts over 10,500 athletes, accommodates more than 10 million spectators, and also involves thousands of media representatives and officials, which means meticulous planning is required for the event to go ahead without disruption.

In this piece, we delve into the intricate logistics strategies deployed to ensure the smooth running of the world’s largest sporting event, drawing upon the insights from official Paris 2024 logistics provider CEVA Logistics, as well as FM Logistic, and Denholm Good Logistics.

Infrastructure upgrades and sustainable initiatives

First and foremost, one of the first steps in preparing for the Paris Olympics was to upgrade the city’s infrastructure. France’s capital has undergone extensive renovations, including the construction of new sports facilities and the enhancement of existing venues.

These efforts were aimed at accommodating the influx of visitors while ensuring the event’s sustainability.

Indeed, sustainability is said to be a core principle of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Olympic Organising Committee has committed to hosting the “greenest ever Games,” emphasising the use of existing or temporary venues to reduce construction-related carbon emissions.

“The Games will cut the footprint by 50 per cent compared to the London 2012 and Rio 2016 average, aligning with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The event will account for all carbon emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3), encompassing direct, indirect and spectator travel emissions,” says the International Olympic Committee.

Transportation logistics are also geared towards sustainability, with alternative renewable fuels and efficient transport routines playing a significant role. The International Olympic Committee says this includes the use of electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered vehicles provided by Worldwide Olympic Partner Toyota.

Warehousing and contract logistics

CEVA Logistics, the Official Partner in Logistics Solutions for the Games, says it has meticulously organised the transport of goods, storage, and customs clearance through the creation of three major logistics platforms in the Paris region.

These platforms facilitate the reception, storage, preparation, and distribution of the essential items needed for the Games.

“One of these sites hosts furniture, athletes’ sports equipment, medical equipment, and other goods, while another is used to store additional logistics for the transition and dismantling phases of the Olympic and Paralympic sites,” explains CEVA Logistics.

The transportation of over 900,000 pieces of sports equipment and 1.3 million items of furniture, fittings, and equipment highlights the scale of this operation.

CEVA Logistics says that the establishment of these secure storage sites, as well as organised delivery schedules, are both necessary to ensure all items arrive at their destinations on time.

Dealing with labour shortages

The complexity of the logistics for the Paris Olympics also extends to workforce coordination.

As FM Logistic points out, there is a need for additional staffing and training to manage the operational demands of the event.

The fact that the Olympics take place in the summer period also presents a unique challenge due to a decrease in available drivers, impacting operational capacity.

To alleviate the impact of the problem, FM Logistic says it has collaborated with partners to secure replacement drivers and expand its fleet.

“The summer period is typically challenging due to a decrease in available drivers, which impacts our operational capacity. To mitigate this, we have been collaborating with partners for several months to secure replacement drivers during the summer break and expand our own fleet with additional trucks and drivers for our managed routes. Regarding delivery adjustments at sites heavily impacted by the Olympic Games, we have proposed several solutions to accommodate road restrictions. For example, we have planned for night deliveries at certain locations and established an on-demand truck service. This service provides a dedicated truck and driver available on-site daily for last-minute deliveries at a controlled cost,” says Arnaud d’Arras, Transport activity director – Crépy-en-Valois site at FM Logistic France.

Onsite support

According to CEVA Logistics, onsite support is another crucial component required for the seamless operation of the Olympic Villages and competition venues.

To meet this need, CEVA Logistics has established a 24/7 support desk to promptly address any logistical issues that may arise.

This support extends to various needs, from replacing a coffee pot in an athlete’s room to ensuring that dining halls are adequately stocked. To facilitate the smooth running of the service, multilingual and multicultural staff also need to be on hand to handle any requests.

Last-Mile delivery and traffic management

One of the most critical aspects of the logistics operation is arguably the management of last-mile delivery. The challenge is exacerbated by the influx of people and goods to the Paris region due to the games, which significantly affects road traffic.

Denholm Good Logistics writes that dedicated Olympic lanes and advanced traffic management systems have been deployed to ensure that athletes and officials can travel between venues without delays. In addition to this, real-time traffic updates and intelligent traffic signals are being utilised to manage the flow of vehicles.

In addition to this, to address potential disruptions, FM Logistic has conducted detailed studies on delivery points and their proximity to Olympic sites.

“At FM Logistic, a detailed study was conducted on the location of delivery points served and their proximity to Olympic sites. The goal was to check if access authorisations were required, but also to understand various traffic impacts,” writes the company.

This analysis, says FM Logistic, enables the anticipation of traffic movements and the organisation of deliveries accordingly. The company also notes how solutions such as night deliveries have been proposed to take account of road restrictions and ensure timely deliveries.

Security and technology integration

Finally, given the high-profile nature of the event, security is a top priority as well. Rigorous protocols are in place for the transportation and handling of goods to ensure they arrive safely and securely.

Here, the use of advanced technology plays a vital role. As Denholm Good Logistics explains, real-time tracking technologies are being used to provide updates on the location and status of shipments, enabling organisers to quickly address any issues that arise.

Moreover, data analytics and automation are being harnessed to enhance the efficiency of logistics operations. Big data analytics predict demand and optimise resource allocation, while automation reduces the need for manual labour and increases operational speed and accuracy.