www . bulk-distributor . com
Your single information source for bulk and semi-bulk logistics
www . bulk-distributor . com
Est . 1990
September / October 2017
BULKDISTRIBUTOR
Your single information source for bulk and semi-bulk logistics
Tank Containers • Flexitanks • IBCs • Drums • FIBCs • Bulk Liners • Road Tankers • Loading / Bagging • Bulk Logistics • Cleaning & Repair Depots • Components
IN THIS ISSUE
Chemical Industry |
2 |
Tank Containers |
4 |
Depot Services |
8 |
Components , Hoses & |
Couplings |
12 |
Static Protection |
15 |
Asset Management |
16 |
Industrial Packaging |
19 |
Logistics |
22 |
Ports & Storage |
19 |
Managing Editor : Neil Madden neil @ bulk-distributor . com Tel : + 33 ( 0 ) 3 88 60 30 68 Advertising Director : Anne Williams anne @ bulk-distributor . com Tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 20 854 13130 Business Development : Mike Reardon mike @ bulk-distributor . com Tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 1565 653283 Circulation : Berni Chetham berni @ andpublishing . co . uk Tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 1565 653283 © Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd Bulk Distributor is published by Ashley & Dumville Publishing Caledonian House , Tatton Street , Knutsford , Cheshire WA16 6AG , United Kingdom www . bulk-distributor . com
To advertise or contribute please email anne @ bulk-distributor . com or mike @ bulk-distributor . com
Tunnel collapse throws Euro freight rail into chaos
Rail freight on the crucial Rotterdam-Milan corridor was thrown into disarray over the summer after a segment between Karlsruhe , Germany , and Basel , Switzerland had to be closed . The disruption came after a tunnel being bored at Rastatt , south of Karlsruhe , for a new high speed line collapsed on 12 August . Problems with boring work for a new freight bypass as part of the Rhine Valley quadrupling project caused the existing tracks to subside by half a metre . Initial estimates suggested that the line could be reopened in around two weeks , but Germany ’ s infrastructure manager DB Netze later conceded it was likely to remain closed until at least the end of September . Passengers were bussed around the closed section , but alternative routes have had to be found for the 170 to 200 intermodal freight trains which pass through Rastatt each day . UIRR , a trade body for intermodal operators ’, said neither of the two alternative routes proposed had sufficient capacity . The electrified Stuttgart – Singen route is only partially double track and was also affected by engineering work , while the other is a single-track secondary line and sufficient diesel traction is not available at short notice . Some traffic could be rerouted via the North Sea – Mediterranean Corridor 2 and Scan-Med Corridor 3 , but both of these suffer from loading gauge and train length restrictions . One company Swisstrain , a service offered by Frenkendorf-based Swissterminal AG , was granted right-of-way for an alternative routing . This links Antwerp and Rotterdam with Frenkendorf / Basel , via a hub in Neuss , near Dusseldorf , and the Singen-Stuttgart line . However , the length of the train is limited to 550m .
Open letter
The ensuing chaos prompted rail freight bodies across Europe to write a joint open letter to German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt and EU transport commissioner Violeta Bulc . The letter pointed out that the Rhine Valley line is the main route for intermodal traffic in Europe , carrying around 50 percent of such trade between Northern Europe and Italy via Switzerland . At present , it said , the freight railways can manage only 25 percent of normal volumes on the re-routings via Germany , France and Austria , with intermodal transport being hit particularly hard ; reaching less than 15 percent of its usual carriage . Rail representatives cited the lack of locomotive drivers in the Brenner and Alsace regions as the main reason why most of these capacities were not being used even three weeks after the disruption . Because of the difficult operational conditions via Stuttgart-Singen , the majority of the trains have had to be cancelled or run several days behind schedule . The letter went on to say that “ the European system of rail logistics is about to collapse ”. Transhipment terminals along the Rhine Alpine Corridor suffered severe congestion with most refusing to accept additional loading units . Businesses have been hit by supply shortages and production stops occurred in large numbers of plants north and south of the Alps , it continued . It warned part of the rail traffic will be lost to the road , and it will not be possible to win it back “ for years ”, endangering the EU ’ s aim of shifting more cargo from road to rail . The freight rail interests argue that the Rastatt disruption and its crisis management is a perfect example of what is wrong with European rail freight transport . On important corridors , there are not enough diversion routes that are planned as stand-by and can be readily used in cases of traffic disruption . A transnational corridor perspective for infrastructure planning and management is still very basic , and there is no international co-ordination of construction sites on railway infrastructure . Alternative and diversion routes suitable for freight traffic were partially or completely closed during the construction of the risky tunnelling work in Rastatt because of other construction works . National railway particularities also make it difficult to divert to lines of other countries . German speaking train drivers , for example , cannot be deployed on the diversion lines via France . Finally , the letter says much needed day-to-day co-ordination between national infrastructure managers , railways , terminals and operators is extremely slow and inefficient . It is still unclear for many rail experts as to why the total closure of the line could not have been avoided or at least significantly shortened by building a temporary , single track replacement line immediately after the damage . In order to avoid the collapse of the system and a permanent loss of trust among shippers , the letter sets out measures that should be immediately taken .
• Establishment of a task force at ministerial and / or EU level with crisis competencies , including the infrastructure managers .
• Support for short-term reinforcement of the driver pool on the diversion lines via Brenner , France , Stuttgart-Singen-Schaffhausen by releasing drivers in favour of freight traffic
• Simplified operating procedures on re-routing lines , with the coordination of ERA European Union Agency for Railways .
• Exceptional , temporary measures to support freight companies directly affected that face “ severe existential problems ”.
• A special commission for the short term review of the largest and most serious freight traffic blockade in recent decades . “ Rastatt must never happen again !”, the letter concluded .
Continued on page 22
Problems with boring work for a freight bypass as part of the Rhine Valley route caused the existing tracks to subside by half a metre