LOGISTICS
Borealis charters supertanker / German lorry traffic to surge / Freight rates mostly unchanged
Austrian polyolefin producer Borealis (Vienna; www.borealisgroup.com) said it has put the largest supertanker of its class, with a capacity of 91,000 m³, into charter operation. The custom-built Oceanus Aurora is to transport gas (mainly propane and butane) in large quantities from North America to Borealis’s European gas crackers. The giant is operated by Japanese shipping company, IINO Lines.
The two companies are not disclosing the cost of the ship, which is to be equipped with the latest eco-friendly propulsion technology and a rotating sail next year. How ecologically sound and sustainable transatlantic gas deliveries are in the long run remains to be seen.
In Berlin, Berthold Huber, the board member responsible for infrastructure at German railway company Deutsche Bahn, is reportedly surprised at the realisation that the state-owned firm’s rail network is not in good shape, according to German news magazine Der Spiegel. Huber has thus earmarked EUR 3 mn for modernisation.
According to German federal transport minister Volker Wissing’s long-term traffic forecast, lorry traffic in Germany is expected to increase 54% over the next 30 years compared to today’s levels.
Currently, there is a shortage of about 70,000 truck drivers on German roads. Extrapolating this to the projected transport levels for 2051 would create a gap of 400,000 truckers. The Ministry of Transport reacted to the criticism by pointing out that the shortage of drivers is included in the forecast.
A shortage of HGV drivers is, however, not new to Europe. According to a report by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), up to 425,000 truck driver vacancies remained unfilled in Europe in 2021, which corresponds to an increase of 41% compared to 2020. The report also noted that the shortage of staff in transportation is expected to be worse in 2022, with an approximate 40% increase in HGV vacancies. The biggest driver shortages in 2021 were in the UK (80,000-100,000), Poland (80,000), Romania (71,000), and Germany (57,000-80,000).
The two companies are not disclosing the cost of the ship, which is to be equipped with the latest eco-friendly propulsion technology and a rotating sail next year. How ecologically sound and sustainable transatlantic gas deliveries are in the long run remains to be seen.
In Berlin, Berthold Huber, the board member responsible for infrastructure at German railway company Deutsche Bahn, is reportedly surprised at the realisation that the state-owned firm’s rail network is not in good shape, according to German news magazine Der Spiegel. Huber has thus earmarked EUR 3 mn for modernisation.
According to German federal transport minister Volker Wissing’s long-term traffic forecast, lorry traffic in Germany is expected to increase 54% over the next 30 years compared to today’s levels.
Currently, there is a shortage of about 70,000 truck drivers on German roads. Extrapolating this to the projected transport levels for 2051 would create a gap of 400,000 truckers. The Ministry of Transport reacted to the criticism by pointing out that the shortage of drivers is included in the forecast.
A shortage of HGV drivers is, however, not new to Europe. According to a report by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), up to 425,000 truck driver vacancies remained unfilled in Europe in 2021, which corresponds to an increase of 41% compared to 2020. The report also noted that the shortage of staff in transportation is expected to be worse in 2022, with an approximate 40% increase in HGV vacancies. The biggest driver shortages in 2021 were in the UK (80,000-100,000), Poland (80,000), Romania (71,000), and Germany (57,000-80,000).
Freight rates for the week of 22 – 28 May 2023
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Price for a 40-foot container (FEU) with change from prior week:
China – US West Coast: unchanged at USD 1,550 (EUR 1,446)
China – US East Coast: down 2% at USD 2,550
China – Northern Europe: unchanged at USD 1,550
Northern Europe – China: unchanged at USD 600
China – Southern Europe: unchanged at USD 2,200
Southern Europe – China: up 9.1% at USD 600
26.05.2023 Plasteurope.com [252813-0]
Published on 26.05.2023
German version of this article...