Dorothy Project: Implementation of a New “Urban Logistics Cluster” in the Region of Valencia

In July 2013 started the DOROTHY Project (“Development Of RegiOnal clusTers for researcH and implementation environmental friendlY urban logistics”), a part of the Seventh Framework Programme of the EU (www.clusterdorothy.com). This project is focused on urban logistics and its ending, June 30th 2016, practically coincides with the celebration of the Transports Engineering Congress CIT 2016.One of the main objectives of the Dorothy project is the implementation of clusters, at a regional level, that can address many different kinds of issues related to urban logistics. One of these clusters has been implemented in the region of Valencia.The creation and implementation of a new cluster focused on a topic like urban logistics, without funding for initial dynamism, is a complex process that requires many different steps and negotiations. At least this has been the case of the creation of the cluster in Valencia.We understand that explaining this process in detail may be of interest for future cluster implementations related to urban logistics or to any other different aspects of transport. This paper compiles all the different actions that have been necessary to implement a new cluster.