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Tag: road transport

Logistics firm recognised for compliance

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Cargo Express, a transportation, logistics and warehousing company providing solutions across the UK and Europe, has become one of the few firms in its class to achieve the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Earned Recognition Accreditation, for demonstrating a strong compliance and standards track record. It passed with flying colours – gaining a clean sheet with no minor or major notes.

The Midlands-based firm has formalised its already stringent processes and commitment to compliance with this accreditation.

Cargo Express Director Joseph O’Reilly explains: “We’re very proud at this achievement which highlights our comprehensive procedures and dedication to being a safe and complaint operator. The DVSA accreditation process is intense and rigorous, but as we were already operating with high compliance procedures in place, it was easier for us to demonstrate than it may be for a lot of operators.

“The requirements were far-reaching: the DVSA check elements such as tyre suitability and source or stockist – which must be able to prove a sub-ten-year life – and have checked pressure levels, even if removed temporarily during maintenance work. That is just one small example of one of the many thorough vehicle safety requirements.

“Regular and proactive driver training to reduce accident risk, spot checks to ensure drivers have no toxins in their body, proof of regular eye tests and monthly licence checks are all procedures that were standard to us, so we were expecting to score highly, but to achieve a clean sheet across all the criteria is fantastic and testament to our company ethos.”

The firm uses a DVSA accredited digital management system to report data, which enables the DVSA to monitor various KPIs. As a result of its efforts, its accreditation covers a two-year period, although the firm can still be subject to an audit at any time. Cargo Express will continue to report its data, from vehicle maintenance through to driver working hours and safety status, to continue to meet the KPIs that have been instrumental in its accreditation success.

O’Reilly concludes: “Keeping records and taking a proactive approach is the key to maintaining standards. We’ve always been committed to operating safe vehicles and the best trained drivers. Even in the current climate of driver shortages, we refuse to drop our standards just to get drivers in our trucks. It’s a policy we feel passionate about for both the success of our company, and the safety of our drivers and other road users.”

 

New updates to EU Mobility Package

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The logistics sector is expecting further road transportation regulatory changes to be instated in February 2022. Last year, the European Commission adopted a Mobility Package governing road deliveries in EU countries. The changes to the Mobility Package will safeguard the working rights of truck drivers in Europe by imposing work, rest, and cabotage regimes.

EU Regulation 2020/1054 concerning drivers’ work and rest schedules came into force on 20th August 2020. The legislation requires drivers to return to their employers’ country of legal registration and take at least one week off every four weeks. Drivers may not spend their off week in a vehicle cabin. If a driver cannot spend his week off at his own home, his employer is obliged to pay for alternative temporary accommodation.

As of February 2022, EU Regulation 2020/1055 and EU Directive 2020/1057 will introduce the following regulatory changes to the Mobility Package:

  1. A trucker performing a one-way international delivery must register as a worker on a business trip. If the market wages in the destination country are higher than those in the driver’s home country, the driver’s wages must be adjusted accordingly.
  2. Drivers making cabotage deliveries in one country for an employer registered in another country must also register as workers on business trips. A maximum of three such transport operations in one country may be performed within a seven-day period. After this period, the truck may not enter this country for four days.
  3. A vehicle owned by an EU company used for international transport must be returned to the country of its registered owner within at most eight weeks of its departure from that country.

The purpose of the new rules is to regulate truck drivers’ work and rest regimes as well as to provide equal access to the profession and local markets. Thanks to the new regulations, an international truck driver will be entitled to better business trip compensation, especially when market wages in the country of delivery are higher than the driver’s home country. Cabotage will also be regulated so that drivers from higher-wage EU countries will not be at a competitive disadvantage vs. drivers from lower-wage countries.

For logistics and transport companies, the new rules will entail structural changes. Small- and medium-sized carriers from Eastern Europe are highly likely to refocus on domestic markets, as the financial costs of transporting goods to other EU countries will be unprofitable. Capacity shortages are therefore expected in Western Europe, and excess capacity is expected in Eastern Europe.

“The road transport market is going through difficult times. Diesel fuel prices are rising in EU countries,” says Vitali Eremenco (pictured), AsstrA Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Road Transportation. “Demand for oil is projected to continuing increasing until the end of 2022. Moreover, the shortage of drivers is becoming more acute. The new regulations will make the industry more attractive for drivers. At the same time, however, the new rules will also lead to higher road transport costs for logistics companies. In certain areas with significant carrier shortages, costs are expected to increase by 15% or more. If logistics providers have not yet begun to work closely with their partners to seek solutions, now is the time to do it. Otherwise, their businesses are at risk.”

Thermo King Advancer wins PMI award

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions, has been awarded the global Project Excellence Award from the Project Management Institute (PMI) for launching Advancer – a disruptive re-imagining of the trailer refrigeration unit.

“We are pleased to see the Advancer project recognised for its excellence,” said Francesco Incalza, president of Thermo King Europe, Middle East and Africa. “At Thermo King, our team continues to bring solutions to market that give customers a new standard in transport refrigeration with breakthrough efficiency, quality, and reliability. We’re pushing innovation to its very limit so that customers can take their operations to the next level – and beyond, whilst reducing their own environmental footprint.

“The Advancer project is a great example of our efficient project management capabilities and our commitment to creating a positive impact for society. This is something we strive to achieve in all our projects. This award complements our earlier industry recognition received for Advancer highlighting the best-in-class manufacturing production and engineering processes including an award for Advancer’s Carbon Neutral Manufacturing, and Engineering Endeavour.”

The Advancer units are manufactured in Thermo King’s zero-waste to landfill plant in Galway, Ireland. The newly designed, state-of-the-art production line uses 60% less energy than the production process of previous Thermo King trailer products.

The award recognises the Advancer project team for delivering superior performance of project management practices, superior organisational results, and positive impacts on society. Advancer offers an all-new design architecture that creates a bold new standard for performance, temperature control, fleet connectivity, superior load protection, and unmatched fuel efficiency. Combined, these capabilities deliver greater operational flexibility, while helping customers achieve significant improvements in fleet uptime and total cost of ownership.

On-the-road and in-use, Advancer results in a 30% reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to previous units – contributing significantly to the Trane Technologies’ Gigaton Challenge and  2030 sustainability aspirations. The commitment aims to reduce customers’ carbon emissions by one gigaton – equivalent to the annual emissions of Italy, France and the United Kingdom combined.

Since 1974, the prestigious PMI Professional Awards have honoured organisations and their teams whose passion, talent, and expertise have made the greatest contributions to the project management profession or to PMI. The 2021 PMI Professional Awards were announced during PMI’s virtual experience ceremony on 7th October.

Thermo King is a brand of Trane Technologies.

 

Mass transit ‘pods’ aim to revolutionise transport

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A world-first driverless, zero-emission mass transit technology – comprising autonomous electric “pods” capable of traveling on both road and rail – launched today (Thursday 14th October 2021). UK start-up Urban.MASS claims its idea will revolutionise urban mobility and connectivity in cities worldwide, cutting congestion, air pollution, costs and carbon emissions.

Urban.MASS’s breakthrough floc technology will, for the first time, combine door-to-door on-demand ride hailing transport with high frequency, accessible and sustainable mass transit to provide seamless, zero-emission passenger and cargo journeys across cities.

In order to maximise the use of the infrastructure to reduce delivery van movements during the day on our roads, the floc system can be used for parcel deliveries between logistics centres, ports and airports during off-peak times via special purpose-built pods design just for cargo deliveries. As the system uses battery technology and rubber tyres, the operation is quiet and non-polluting. Urban.MASS has told Logistics Manager that it is in very early talks with port operators who are land constrained and see this as a solution to transport ferry/cruise passengers during peak hours and cargo off-peak.

The world’s first fully operational site is planned to open in 2025 at the National Railway Museum, Locomotion, in Shildon, north-east England – exactly 200 years after the same site hosted the world’s first passenger steam engine, Stephenson’s Locomotion No.1. A rapid global roll-out will follow, seeing at least 10 cities adopt the technology by 2030, beginning with Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and cities across the UK, ushering in a new era of mass transit.

68% of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050, putting massive strain on roads and existing public transport networks. In the UK alone, road congestion cost the economy almost £7bn in 2019, with 65% of its workforce currently commuting by car. In the US, the annual cost to the economy is $88bn, with Americans each losing 99 hours a year to congestion. This compounds air quality crises in cities worldwide which collectively lead to 4.2 million deaths annually according to The World Health Organisation. A large proportion of this pollution is caused by road traffic, creating demand for mass transit solutions to reduce congestion.

Conventional mass transit infrastructure projects – such as the £19bn Crossrail project in London, UK – are disruptive, time-consuming and costly, with European rail projects going over budget by 34% on average. These costs can be prohibitive for smaller cities, developers, and businesses, such as airports and out-of-town business parks, which compounds the reliance on road transport.

21st century solution

Cities across the world are urgently seeking sustainable and affordable mass transit solutions that meet the needs of a zero-carbon, clean air future while supporting a new age of mass urbanisation. As a result, around 100 countries are planning over 1,000 new metro rail projects by 2030 – equivalent to over $2.2trn USD of investment. Urban.MASS’s floc technology is a 21st century solution to the problem, designed to be significantly cheaper and quicker to construct, with a much smaller physical footprint than conventional metro rail, light rail and tram projects.

Kevin O’Grady, CEO of Urban.MASS, said: “Cities are changing like never before – populations are exploding but the way we move people around hasn’t changed in over a century. Victorian-era rail and road technologies weren’t designed for the demands of modern life and yet worldwide we continue to rely on the same basic, expensive, and carbon intensive system. We should be using solutions of the 21st century, to serve the new-breed of cities we see today – cities that are built for people, not polluting vehicles.

“It’s almost 200 years since the United Kingdom invented passenger rail – it’s time to once again set a new global precedent and upend the status quo of transport. With massive demand from cities right across the world, it’s clear that people everywhere recognise the need for a new technology to dramatically change our transport systems for the next 200 years. Our affordable and accessible system delivers twice the track for half the cost, with an unrivalled customer experience.”

The Urban.MASS floc technology deploys hundreds of lightweight, driverless, zero emission electric pods to collect passengers from anywhere in a city using ground-level tracks or existing road networks. To traverse the most congested areas of urban centres at high speeds, the pods elevate to an above-ground Duo Rail track via ultramodern Urban.MASS stations, all without passengers having to leave the pod. The pods can “flock” together into connected trains or run individually depending on demand. This means floc can deliver high frequency peak capacity on dense routes and also provide economically viable services on less dense routes or during off-peak times.

The elevated Duo Rail track, powered by overhead solar canopies, can run above existing roads and infrastructure, giving a physical footprint 70% smaller than a typical urban light rail system. This allows infrastructure to ‘tiptoe’ through dense urban areas, minimising the need to demolish buildings or dig expensive tunnel networks, while allowing space for roads, green corridors, cycle paths or pedestrian zones below.

Using innovative “pop up” construction, each prefabricated section of Duo Rail track can be installed in a matter of days. This flexible and modular design means new sections can be easily and quickly added or adapted to meet the changing demands of cities as they develop. The result is a system costing 50% less than traditional light rail, with significantly less environmental impact.

Urban.MASS plans to develop floc Duo Rail mass transit networks in at least 10 cities around the world by 2030 to meet growing demand. Cities in the UK, Europe, North America, Middle East, and Africa, are in discussions with the company to deploy Urban.MASS floc networks, with Kampala in Uganda expected to host the world’s first city-scale project. Urban.MASS has received support from the highest levels of Ugandan Government to deliver the project, which will be capable of carrying up to 16,000 passengers in each direction on each of the proposed routes.

George Piwang-Jalobo, Urban Mass Contact at UNCCI Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “In line with Uganda 2040 vision, Kampala will be one of the most attractive cities in the world, offering its citizens and visitors a safe and efficient transport system based on a high quality public transport system and a complementary non-motorised transport network. The strategy will be driven by mass public transport to facilitate efficiency and reduce congestion and pollution. Urban Mass, with its green efficient product, is aligned to this vision.”

In the UK, Urban.MASS has identified a number of cities suitable for deployment, including, Bristol, Liverpool, Cambridge, Oxford, and Cardiff.

Partnership agreements

To support its rapid global growth, Urban.MASS has already signed partnership agreements with Grimshaw architectural design company – the world-renowned transport architect and engineer firm which has developed major mass transit projects worldwide – and WSP – one of the world’s largest engineering professional services consultancies which acted as engineers on the new London Bridge Station, UK.

The company has also already received substantial interest from investors for its Series A-capital raise to support its rapid commercialisation and global growth.

Urban.MASS is yet another example of an innovative UK company creating a new game-changing green and sustainable tech sector for the world, supporting UK PLC’s ambition to be a leading exporter of clean technology globally.

Nicholas Robb, Senior Policy Advisor, Construction Finance at BEIS, said: “Urban.MASS has the potential to comprehensively transform how we get from A to B within cities right across the world, connecting communities and enabling a cleaner more prosperous future. The project in Shildon, along with Urban.MASS’ exciting global development plans, will enable the UK to spearhead a global mass transit revolution for the 21st century, building on our 19th century forefathers’ innovations and exporting the next generation of mass transport technology worldwide.”

Shildon: cradle of the railways

Urban.MASS chose Shildon for its first site due to its historic record of pioneering new age mass transit, having hosted the world’s first steam-powered public railway in 1825. It was also chosen due to its unique ability to demonstrate how floc Duo Rail will navigate a number of obstacles, including a road bridge, existing railway line and public walkway, demonstrating the flexibility of the technology.

The site will consist of three stations: the first is at ground level, allowing passengers to board pods and travel on tarmac; the second is situated on an above-ground Duo Rail track allowing high-speed travel which traverses physical obstacles below; the third station, equidistant between the other two, enables pods to transfer between the ground-level and the above-ground track to demonstrate how future door-to-door road transport can be combined with mass transit rail to reduce congestion.

Quotes

Neill McClements, partner at Grimshaw, said: “The climate emergency is the most pressing issue for our generation, and we see high-quality transport infrastructure as an essential part of sustainable urban development. Our collaboration with Urban.MASS is an exciting opportunity to explore the potential of emerging technologies and modern methods of construction to create a new typology in low-carbon mass transit.’’

Diego Padilla Philipps, Associate Director and Net Zero Lead for Structures at WSP UK, said: “As the world comes together to reduce carbon emissions, Floc gives us the opportunity to redefine the future of transport. We are proud to provide the structural engineering solutions for such a fantastic project, focusing on sustainability, whole-life emissions, low-carbon structures and DfMA.”

Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, Rail Lead at KTN, said: “This thrilling launch represents a truly innovative approach to transport, working towards the crucial sustainable goals of the United Kingdom including net zero by 2050. KTN not only supports development of new and creative green transport concepts and innovations, but also the passenger-focussed, community-inclusive, mobility-on-demand aims of Urban.MASS, with the United Kingdom as a global leader in this space.”

Wayne Goldsmith, Managing Director at EQUANS said: “EQUANS is delighted to be working with Urban.MASS floc to provide net zero energy solutions and FM services. The Urban.MASS project at the National Rail Museum in Shildon aligns perfectly with our own global strategy and commitment to empower business and communities to embrace the energy digital and industrial transitions, redesigning the way we move, work and live.”

Deborah Geideman, Vice president and Global Head of International Relations at Jacobs, said: “As we heard this week on several platforms at the UN General Assembly and Biden’s recent comments on sustainable cities within the proposed infrastructure bill, a new paradigm of urban transport can be part of the solution to reversing the deteriorating situation in some cities of developing countries, and supporting others to embark on a sustainable, low carbon, green growth path: developing a city for people rather than cars, and including public and mass transport as a major component of the modal structure. Urban.MASS is a solution to these emergency problems.”

More on Shildon

The Shildon project forms part of the National Railway Museum’s £55m development programme, known as Vision 2025, to expand the museum, preserve listed buildings and celebrate the past, present, and future of railways.

Celebrations for the start of Urban.MASS’ Shildon planning process and the 196th anniversary of Stephenson’s Locomotion took place on 27th September 2021, outside the Locomotion museum building, Shildon, attended by Kevin O’Grady Urban.MASS CEO, Ricky Sandhu Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Urban.MASS, Stephen Wheater Associate Grimshaw, Sarah Price Head of Locomotion, Tim Wood NPR Rail Director Transport for the North and Andrew McLean Assistant Director & Head Curator at National Railway Museum.

The Northern town will also act as a test bed for how affordable, and quickly deployable mass transit can “level up” communities across the UK.

Tim Wood, Northern Powerhouse Rail Director at Transport for the North, said: “Comprehensively connecting the North’s communities by rail and mass transit will create jobs and boost the Northern economy for decades to come. Innovations like Urban.MASS will help accelerate that transformation and spread prosperity right across the UK, while also playing a major role in the decarbonisation of the transport network.

“It is fantastic to see the North continue its great transport history in the development of this scheme, with Durham acting as a test bed for the project. The sooner we can deliver sustainable and transformational enhancements to the transport offering in the region, the sooner the North can realise its true potential. I look forward to seeing Urban.MASS progress in the coming years and how it will dovetail with major rail investment programmes, like Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2.”

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Miralis secures funding for on-the-move HGV charging

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Miralis Data, a transport-focused software and data science company, has joined forces with a consortium on a £1.1m project to explore on-the-move charging for HGVs.

Miralis has partnered with Honda R&D Europe (UK), Honda Japan, TRL and Galliford Try on a project funded by the Department of Transport and managed by Innovate UK, as part of a wider initiative to decarbonise transport in the UK.

Addressing the government’s plans to ban the sale of fossil fuel heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by 2040, the Electro Road project offers an in-depth feasibility study into an electric road system that would enable larger vehicles to charge whilst travelling.

To date there has been zero transitioning of HGVs to electric in the logistics industry due to a lack of suitable vehicle and charging options.

Electrifying HGVs poses unique challenges. Given the typical range required of larger goods vehicles, a large capacity battery would be required to cover the distances. Adding heavier batteries to vehicles that can already be up to 44 tonnes, will diminish the vehicle’s efficiency. So larger vehicles will need a way to recharge their batteries on the go.

Electro Road focuses on cutting-edge, state-of-the-art research carried out by Honda Japan. The company has developed conductive technology which has been shown to charge smaller vehicles effectively – this latest project will discover how this technology can be applied to HGVs and how best it can be deployed across the UK’s major highways.

Dr Will Maden, Research Director at Miralis, explains more: “This really could be a game-changing project in the race to decarbonise transport in the UK. Logistics firms know they need to planning for their EV transition but with no viable options currently on the table, the race is on to find a solution that will drastically reduce emissions in the industry.

Reducing emissions in transport and logistics is at the very top of our agenda, and at the heart of everything we do at Miralis, so to be partnering with companies at the forefront of electric road system technology is very exciting for us. We’re delighted to be working together and keen to see what can be achieved in the coming months.”

The project will run for 9 months, with a report expected in Spring 2022.

FedEx grows to meet Saudi Arabia demand

Posted on by David Priestman

FedEx Express has announced its transition to a direct-serve presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet the country’s growing international shipping demands. The company will invest more than SAR1.5bn (c.US$400m/€345m) into the country’s economy over the next 10 years through talent management and local operations and infrastructure.

This investment will reaffirm the company’s commitment to the country’s non-oil economic growth, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, and the ‘National Industrial Development and Logistics Program’ which seeks to increase non-oil exports to more than SAR1tr (c. US$266bn/€230bn).

FedEx Express has been facilitating trade in Saudi Arabia since 1994, offering international solutions and connectivity through local service providers, most recently through SAB Express. This announcement and the company’s direct presence in the country will further help local businesses trade with ease and expand their reach into the more than 220 countries and territories FedEx serves.

Jack Muhs, regional president of FedEx Express Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa, said: “Our customers will be able to take advantage of FedEx digital tools and a wider service portfolio. This strategic expansion in the Kingdom will help Saudi-based businesses connect to new markets and customers around the world, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to diversify the national economy.

“In addition to our commitment to the Saudi economy, we see FedEx Express playing an important role in developing the small and medium enterprise environment in Saudi Arabia, which forms the backbone of the economy, and represents 99% of Saudi Arabia’s private sector.”

FedEx Express will continue to work closely with SAB Express to provide pickup, delivery, and customs clearance services across the country.

Sheikh Salah Al Bluewi, chairman of SAB Express, said: “We’re happy to continue supporting FedEx Express in Saudi Arabia with their growth journey, and join them in playing a critical role in developing Saudi Arabia’s logistics infrastructure, in line with the country’s coordinated efforts and strategy in diversifying the economy. The logistics sector is a key contributor towards employment, investment, and overall economic growth in our nation.”

Under Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom is committed to increasing its total air cargo capacity. With nearly 50 years of experience, specialised services, and advanced technology solutions, FedEx will support the trade requirements of the healthcare, e-commerce, technology, energy, aerospace, automotive, and petrochemical sectors.

DHL’s Driving Ambition aims to help solve shortage

Posted on by David Priestman

DHL Supply Chain has announced Driving Ambition, a new training programme which aims to tackle the national driver shortage in the UK with a long-term solution by providing fully funded training for applicants to qualify as LGV drivers.

The Driving Ambition programme removes a key barrier to a career in logistics by providing company-funded driver training, opening a door to an industry that has proved itself essential during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the main aims of the programme is to encourage a wider pool of diverse candidates to consider a driving career.

Driving Ambition offers candidates free driver training worth up to £3,000 to obtain either a Category C licence (Class 2) to drive rigid trucks, or licences C and E (Class 1) to drive artics.

Ian Clough, MD Transport at DHL Supply Chain UK, said: “The supply chain industry is facing a huge shortage of drivers. One of the most important steps we can take to solve this for the long-term starts at grass roots by encouraging and enabling people to pursue a career in logistics. By investing in someone’s future, and offering them the opportunity to be trained and ultimately become a qualified LGV driver, we’re hoping to attract as broad an audience as possible.

“New recruits will be welcomed into the wonderfully diverse DHL family and we’re very much encouraging applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, as well as those underrepresented in the industry, such as women and the ex-military.”

Roads Minister Baroness Vere added: “This is a fantastic initiative and I fully support DHL as they encourage UK workers to kick-start a rewarding and lucrative career in our vitally important road haulage industry. We will continue to do all we can to help industry leaders boost driver recruitment numbers, improve job opportunities right across the country, and address the problems caused by this global issue.”

Recognising the need to create a long-term flow of driver candidates, Marks & Spencer has backed the programme and is inviting colleagues and partners to take part in the opportunity to retrain.

The programme is open to anyone looking to become an LGV driver, or those wanting to upskill from a Class 2 licence to a Class 1 and step into one of DHL’s 1,000 training vacancies. Driver roles will be available across the UK, with dedicated transport training centres in the South East, Avonmouth, Crick, Worksop and Bellshill.

As the global logistics leader, DHL is committed to offering rewarding, flexible, long-term career opportunities for the widest possible range of people. The programme is a fantastic opportunity for veterans, school leavers and career changers looking for their next challenge.

Robert Boateng, 59, from London, has recently completed Driving Ambition and is now a qualified LGV driver: “I used to drive vans but I wanted to have a specialist qualification and develop a career. The programme is really good – you get lots of support, so I’d recommend it to anyone else thinking about a career change.”

The programme has been trialled with internal candidates and to date 250 people have completed the training programme. All new employees will be invited to join DHL’s pension scheme, along with accessing a range of exclusive wellbeing benefits such as mortgage advice, online tutoring for kids and a free online GP service, plus retail and supermarket discounts of up to 10%.

As part of its aspiration to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050, the company is investing in the latest low emissions trucks and recently opened its industry-leading Transport Development Centre at Crick to teach safe, environmentally responsible driving techniques.

Lafarge France optimises transport for aggregates division

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Lafarge has chosen to upgrade to the latest version of INFORM’s transport optimisation software for the building materials industry. The software will be used to optimise the dispatch of its truck fleet in the aggregates business.

The aggregates business of Lafarge France includes 160 locations and operates a fleet of 700 to 900 trucks. Compared to standard transport planning software, INFORM’s solution is powered by algorithms that analyse a virtually endless number of scheduling decisions in real-time and identify those that are ideal for minimising costs and maximising service level and on-time performance.

“We have been using INFORM’s transport optimisation software for over 25 years in our aggregates business,” said Kevin Perrault, Head of Supply Chain Projects at Lafarge France. “We pride ourselves in delivering the best-possible service to our customers and upgrading our operations to the latest version is a key element to help us achieve our goals and to remain competitive in the industry.”

The new version (v10) features an overhauled user interface (UI) and is powered by the latest aggregates optimiser. Inspired by feedback from customers and partners, INFORM designed the new UI to accelerate user adoption, while the updated algorithms further increase truck fleet productivity.

“The release also comes with a new interface technology which makes it easier to embed our system into a wider corporate supply chain environment and to connect it to other third-party systems,” explains Dr. Flachskampf, Head of Road Transport at INFORM’s Logistics Division. “We have also taken this opportunity to review all key optimisation parameters of our implementation at Lafarge France Aggregates, which will lead to further savings down the road.”

“As a long-time INFORM customer, we are looking forward to further strengthen and streamline our processes in accordance with logistics scheme which are in constant evolution,” commented Perrault.

INFORM’s software will run on a private AWS cloud. New map and truck availability functionalities as well as improved telematics communication round off the project. The upgrade is now under deployment and is slated to go-live in Q1 2022. It will build on INFORM’s growing footprint of v10 users in the building materials industry.

Mooij introduces double-floor containers

Posted on by David Priestman

Mooij Forwarding & Logistics has taken 18 containers with a double-deck loading system into use, to start intermodal large-volume transport on European corridors.

This unique form of transport means maximum cost savings plus benefits for the environment. The containers can be swapped easily to other transport modes (road, water, rail); in this way, large-volume transport is entering intermodal transport.

“After the corona crisis, we are confronted with the environmental crisis,” says director Nico Mooij. “The roads are getting full again and most HGVs are still running on diesel. We need to make a modal shift as quickly as possible: more transport by train and by ship. We can do this with these containers, combined with a perfect organisation of pre- and post-transport, and real-time tracking.”

Mooij Forwarding & Logistics maintains daily services between various destinations in Eastern and Western Europe. Large-volume trailers with a double-loading floor have been used for this for some time. To supplement this, Mooij developed a double loading concept for sea containers. Mooij now also offers its double deck transports multimodal (road/rail/inland shipping/shortsea/ferry).

The 45ft containers in the high-cube version have an internal height of 298cm. Vertical profiles have been fitted to the inner walls with which loading beams can be hooked in horizontally at any desired height. This doubles the capacity of the container from 33 to 66 euro pallets (or from 27 to 54 block pallets).

The containers are transported by road on special low container chassis that are used at loading point and destination. The containers can be transferred to a different transport mode at any multimodal terminal.

Mooij says: “We offer transport to almost any destination, with potential savings of 25% to 35% compared to other providers.” He expects to increase the number of double-deck containers in the future, as well as the number of destinations.

 

Incredible 5000-mile journey for shunt reactors

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Collett & Sons, an expert in transporting abnormal loads, has transported two 160Te shunt reactors over 5000 miles to the onshore substation site in southern Scotland for the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm project, jointly owned by EDF Renewables and ESB.

Collett was contracted with the full scope of work providing a door-to-door service, including the project management, engineering and the transport of the two 160Te shunt reactors.

A year before deliveries commenced, Collett’s Consulting Department was contracted to undertake multiple surveys to find the most feasible route. This included all route surveys, swept path analysis reports, topographical surveys, bridge height surveys and wire cable height surveys. This resulted in Collett liaising with local authorities to temporarily remove street furniture and employing tree surgeons to remove obstructing foliage.

The shunt reactors were transported in three stages before arriving at the substation site. First, Collett worked in partnership with a trusted European partner to transport the shunt reactors ahead of their arrival in the UK. The Collett Projects Department was then responsible for all port operations, including the loading of the vessel, also chartered by Collett, for the 4800 miles to the Port of Leith in Scotland.

Working closely with the port, Collett carefully planned the cargo’s discharge, including providing crane lifting plans and an agreed programme of works for all loading and discharge operations.

Once at the port, utilising an 800Te crane, the shunt reactors were discharged onto a dedicated 14-axle line modular flat top trailer. Both shunt reactors were offloaded at the port onto stools for temporary storage. Collett also transported and stored multiple ancillary components at its port-side depot in Grangemouth.

Utilising its 550Te capacity girder bridge with 20-axle lines, Collett transported the shunt reactors from Leith Docks to Innerwick. Due to narrow access along the remainder of the route, Collett transhipped each of the two shunt reactors from the 20-axle girder bridge on to a 14-axle flat top modular trailer in a dedicated road closure area, complete with all traffic management, in order to complete delivery. All movements were facilitated under police escort, as well as Collett’s in-house fleet of pilot vehicles.

At the NnG onshore substation site, located in the Lammermuir Hills, Collett’s Heavy Lift Team offloaded and positioned the shunt reactors into their final position using a hydraulic jacking and skidding system.

Part two of the project is expected to take place in the coming weeks , when two 180Te supergrid transformers are due to be delivered to the wind farm site.

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