The existing transport system necessitates road transport. In 2017, 25,303 tonnes* of freight were transported from the Netherlands to Germany. International goods transport by road clocked up an amazing 1,776 million* (!) kilometres. In today’s economy, road transport is, for now, indispensable.
There are plenty of alternatives that make road transport more sustainable. Engines are getting increasingly cleaner, special mixtures are added to diesel for a cleaner driving engine and electric trucks are gaining popularity.
Minimum number of empty kilometres
Still, there is one form of transport that has been around for years and which can definitely be considered a sustainable choice, namely one-way transport. One-way transport is the transport of goods in containers on the basis of a single trip. For instance, the container is loaded in Rotterdam and is delivered in Mainz, Germany. The customer only pays for this trip, for these kilometres. The haulier arranges the return trip with another customer. This creates the right impulse, as the haulier schedules in his trips as efficiently as possible. After all, only the kilometres driven with a container are paid. The so-called ‘empty kilometres’ only cost money.
Round-trip
Still, there are many organisations that transport their containers by ‘round-trip’. The customer pays for both the outward and the return trips, all kilometres, from loading to delivery at the seaports. There is no incentive for an efficient schedule because the customer pays for all kilometres anyway.
SKB Logistics is a one-way haulier through and through. It has been transporting 98% of containers on the basis of one-way transport ever since it set up business 12 years ago. That's a sustainable choice. Apart from that, the majority of our fleet consists of Euro 6 trucks. Does your organisation still transport all of its containers on the basis of expensive ‘round-trips’? If so, contact us for more information about our approach and favourable rates: info@skblogistics.nl or +31 85-111 7655 or fill in our request form.
* Source: Statistics Netherlands