Green Logistics

Timon Singh

A country's motorways and trucking services are often its lifeblood transporting foods, information, energy and people nationwide in order to meet the requirements of consumers. However, the price is higher than just fuel costs and service rates. Between 1997 and 2006, haulage emissions rose by a massive 43 percent, equating to 1 million tonnes from HGVs and 6 million tonnes from vans. As such, more and more is being done to create green logistics and cut down on the CO2 output of a country's most vital resource.

Whilst trucks are the main preferred source of transport, rail is becoming more and more appealing to many companies. In the past ten years, rail freight has grown in the UK by 70 percent, however this is still only 12 percent of the UK's total surface transport.

According to the Freight Transport Association, "Rail freight moves an estimated 43.5 million tonnes of goods to and from the UK's ports. Sixty-five per cent of intercontinental trade to the north of England and beyond arrives by rail from the UK's southern gateway ports."

The increase is rail freight is due to its obvious benefits, not least the environmental ones. Using a freight train can be the equivalent to 50 lorries-loads, and per tonnes carried rail produces between one fifth and one tenth the emissions from road transport. However, haulage companies and rail firms have worked together on "roll-on, roll-off" schemes where lorries drive on, are carried by train and drive off at the other end, decreasing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by as much as 70 percent.

Haulage headaches

Due to the amounts of pollution HGVs cause, the government has released several schemes aimed at helping them cut down their carbon footprint. One, the Reduced Pollution Certificate Scheme, meant that hauliers who bought a Euro V compliant vehicle by 30 September 2009 could claim a discount of up to £500 a year on Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

Some have said that if the government was really interested in aiding haulers, then they would cut Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), which has been frozen since 2001 as well as fuel duty. However, making fuel cheaper would be terrible for the environment as it would reduce the incentive for truckers to drive efficiently. As part of their Act on CO2 scheme, the Government even started a national initiative to help train new and existing hauliers to drive more efficiently. This aimed to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, saving hauliers money and reducing the industry's climate impact.

There has also been offers of reduced fuel duty on supposed greener fuels, such as bio-fuels, compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas in order to compensate haulers that make their vehicles 'greener'.

Smart tech and super-trucks

The government isn't the only one aiming to help haulage firms by cutting emissions. Computer giant IBM has set out to help cut emissions and increase fuel efficiency using technology known as telematics. In a report last month titled "Transcending Turbelence", IBM said that smart technology could help improve the efficiency of HGVs.

"Today's vehicle diagnostic techniques typically require the technician to physically connect to the vehicle. However, it won't be long before telematics capabilities enable remote diagnostics of a vehicle's issues and use of remote patches when possible," the report said.

A British company called Denby Transport has designed a 'super-lorry' that, with its extra-large capacity, could allow the number of lorries on British motorways to be cut by a third.

At 82ft, the super-lorry is 26ft long than a standard lorry and weighs more than a Challenger II tank. However, whilst it will be awkward on country roads, Denby believe the lorry would be suitable on motorways and dual carriageways, and would also be good for the environment as fewer lorries would cut down on carbon emissions.

With such initiatives, it is hoped that the logistics industry will soon be much greener, because as it currently stands it is the bane of environmental groups.

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