Shortsea, inland shipping, low-sulphur fuel costs focus talks in Hamburg

THE impact of structural change in coastal and inland waterway shipping on shortsea, feeder and inland waterway ship trades in future was a focal point for discussion 9th ShortSea, Feeder and Inland Waterway Shipping Dialogue in the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

"The goal is to secure reliable conditions for shipping and to boost the inland waterway ship's share in the modal split in container services from two to at least five per cent," said Hamburg Transport Secretary Bernd Egert.

Feeder and shortsea shipping companies also faces an economically difficult operating environment.

One is the limit on emissions in the North Sea and the Baltic, necessitating the use of costly low-sulphur fuel. There is also a chronic shortage of empty boxes in the hinterland. Furthermore, imbalances of trade along with a highly volatile feeder market demand flexibility and agility from shipping companies.

Said Unifeeder CEO Jesper Kristensen: "By combining feeder and shortsea services, we can profit from the well-developed network of transport links, securing larger capacities and at the same time achieving cost savings and ecological benefits."

Formation of alliances could also assist in achieving a sustained recovery in the coastal shipping market, said Joachim van Grieken, managing director of European Minibulk eG.

Said German Shipowners' Association CEO Max Johns: "Shipowners should adapt themselves to financing newbuildings with a minimum of 20 per cent own capital in future. More shipowners should also be active on the bond market."

Another key area for discussion were calculations by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research which show that a modern inland waterway vessel with a capacity of 2,100 tons can replace 105 trucks, each with a capacity of 20 tons, producing no more than 33.4 grams of CO2 per ton-kilometre. By comparison rail transport produces an average of 48.1 grams of CO2 per ton-kilometre, with trucking the figure reaches 164 grams.