In the first quarter of 2021, the road freight transport sector moved 4.42% more tonnes than in the previous year. This represents a growth of 4.01% in national traffic while in international traffic the figure reached 11.07%. Exports (12.63%) and imports (1.58%) also increased.
This is a positive and hopeful scenario for the road transport sector, which was significantly affected by the consequences of the pandemic and the effects of confinement. From now on, with the gradual return to normality after the COVID-19 effect, the business will have to face several important challenges, including decarbonisation. A trend that is already being encouraged by both public administrations and the private sector.
At Stock Logistic, specialists in transporting goods to any part of the world, we take into account these trends that have repercussions, in one way or another, on other modes of transport as well as on distribution and storage services.
The carbon footprint of goods
Trucks currently emit 65% of all transport CO2. The return to a situation of “pre-pandemic normality” will mean an increase in freight transport emissions. In fact, road freight transport will be decisive for the future decarbonisation of the whole system.
The introduction of low-carbon technologies in all modes; consolidation of loads; collaboration and standardisation of certain work processes are among the main levers to make the leap to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly transport. With such actions, emissions could be up to 72% lower in 2050 than in 2015.
Digitisation
The need for faster document control and the impact of the exponential increase in e-commerce have made it imperative to increase the digitisation of all land transport processes. Productivity, efficiency and R&D are the key aspects that companies are already working on and must work on in the future.
Promoting modernisation
In the meantime, administrations are already doing their part to contribute their own grain of sand to this trend. Of particular note is the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, which envisages, for road transport, the construction and improvement of safe parking areas for commercial vehicles and the implementation of intelligent transport services for the road sector (ITs). Finally, the establishment of actions to support the implementation of refuelling infrastructure for alternative fuels (LNG, CNG, hydrogen). These investments will amount to 56.6 million euros, as explained by the institution itself in a press release.