We’re going to assume that you’ve been watching the 2024 Summer Olympics and since you’re reading this blog post, we’re also going to assume that while watching you’ve had the thought, “This must be a logistical nightmare, how to do they manage to put this all together?” You aren’t wrong, but it’s also a fascinating study that those of us in the logistics industry love to dream about.
The Preparation
Long before the 2024 Paris Olympics even started, the city began its preparation by ensuring it could handle the rapid influx of 15 million visitors. All those people, plus Paris residents need to be able to move throughout the city efficiently and sustainably so Paris introduced miles of new bike lanes and plenty of new electric buses. What sounds like a somewhat simple task requires intricate planning and execution to not bring normal city life to a halt.
The Goods
15 million people go to watch the Olympics, but to support those visitors, plus the 10,000 athletes, plus Olympic officials, plus coaches, and support staff, a lot more than bike lanes and buses are needed.
900,000 pieces of sports equipment and 1.3 million items of furniture (think chairs, stadium seats, village dorm room sets, tables, benches, etc) are brought into the city to one of the several centralized logistical hubs. Those hubs cover 80,000 square meters (or 19 acres) throughout the city, serving as storage and distribution centers. Advanced supply chain management systems, equipped with real-time tracking and data analytics, ensure that everything from medical supplies to food and beverages is delivered promptly.
The Details
All of these things—furniture, sports equipment, construction materials—have to be transported into and then around the city as efficiently as possible. The transportation of these 170,000 pallets of goods, 60,000 pieces of luggage, and 250 containers of stands and mobile seats, and a fleet of over 600 vehicles making 14,000 last-mile trips are all handled by global transportation CMA-CGM Group and its subsidiary Ceva Logistics.
This monumental effort in logistics is a testament to the detailed planning and innovative solutions required to support such a global event. The Paris 2024 Olympics will not only be a showcase of athletic prowess but also a marvel of logistical achievement. As a company based in Chattanooga, TN, we may not be handling the Olympics, but we are more than ready to handle your logistical needs, so reach out to a broker today!