Inland waterway transport, a growing segment
The industry responsible with transporting cargo on rivers has witnessed its most significant increase in recent years, in Europe, in terms of the percentage of cargo being hauled.
According to data, 2016’s logistics industry in Europe reserved 14% of its cargo for river transport. This year, in 2017, river-based transport in Europe accounts for an impressive 42% of all cargo. The study, made by industry representatives from five European countries, highlights the changes and compares branches of the transport industry. At the same time, another water-based form of transport, maritime, now accounts for 35% of all cargo, instead of the 12% back in 2016. Every form of transport helps, mainly because multimodal cargo hauling is the way used to make for an efficient business.
On the other hand, road transport is still the no. 1 option for most companies. Approximately 74% of all cargo has been hauled on Europe’s roads, back in 2014, according to a Eurostat report. The number increased in 2016 to 85%. The reason for this is the high quality of road transport, making use of better services.
The European Commission holds high hopes for multimodal transport. The plan is to increase the transfer rate to rail and water vehicles by 50%, by the year 2050. At the moment, the rail to river transfer and vice versa only takes up 18% of Europe’s transport industry, with road to river in second-to-last (at 22%) and continuing with short-distance maritime at 35%.
The European Commission’s objectives are to create a safe business environment, by having strict rules when it comes to water-based transport. One of the consequences is a reduction of maritime accidents, minimizing the environmental impact of water-logistics and preventing sub-standard shipping overall.
All across Europe, logistics are adapting to new technologies and new means of transport. The problem remains with the fact that major cities continue to use thousands of separate supply chains, with these companies competing for the same area. However, several restrictions inside cities, including those related to noise pollution in residential areas, help improve the quality of life.
