The major changes in the productive sector in Western Europe and the Middle East have led to an increase in freight volumes. However, these changes also brought new challenges for logistics suppliers. The focus placed on developing a green chain of transport has brought to the attention of railway companies and costumers alike the importance of railways in supplying eco-friendly transport services. EU’s pro-active policies for the creation of a single transport market in terms of bureaucracy and technologies will help reshape the European railway network and increase commercial speed and punctuality. All these measures, combined with the new approaches used in the financial sector – the development of railway leasing activities – create a new reality which allows new players to come up with alternative offers to conventional rail freight transport.
Although bulk and heavy freight transport (with a low added-value) will not disappear (and therefore the railways will continue to have a major share in this area), special transport (small freight volumes coming from various sources and with multiple destinations) will continue to grow.
The development of new multimodal terminals, the introduction of new containers with special destinations, the increase in the number of logistics suppliers who are willing to include rail transport in their offers, combined with new international regulations and agreements which stipulate better protection for freight and freight carriers, all these prove the fact that rail transport is on the brink of a new revolution. The freight lost in favour of road transport will surely return on the railways, generating growth in international trade activities.
This decade of the 21st century promises to bring freight carriers new growth opportunities, as well as constant diversification and new transport services.
by Ştefan Roşeanu
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