The time and financial expenditure for the transport of goods is increasing for companies in the mechanical and plant engineering industry. There is a need for optimization.
The event “Herausforderung Transport – Logistik und Verkehr aktuell” took place in Dortmund on May 10, 2023, where participants discussed current developments in the transport sector. It was revealed that container freight rates have declined significantly and are below pre-Corona levels. Northern Europe in particular has seen a downward trend in container throughput, while in China it has remained largely constant. In the area of supply chains, an easing can be observed and the situation is gradually returning to normal. Nevertheless, bottlenecks may still occur in isolated cases. It was confirmed by the participants that the ongoing shortage of skilled workers is also becoming more significant in the transportation sector.
In the area of Incoterms, VDMA expert Valerie Sauermann, explained the innovations of Incoterms 2020, saying that the right choice of Incoterms clauses can have a significant impact on the transport process and the distribution of risk. “Careful consideration of a company’s individual needs and risks can lead to more efficient supply chains, clear responsibilities and reduced potential for conflict,” Sauermann said, emphasizing the importance of appropriately chosen Incoterms.
There were also innovations in the area of aviation security. The EU requirements on cyber security, the new version of the Aviation Security Training Ordinance, the amendment of the Aviation Security Charges Ordinance and the development of special control procedures were presented. The intensive exchange between the participants helped to shed light on different perspectives and exchange practical approaches to solutions.
The results of the current VDMA survey on large-volume and show that a variety of challenges, such as high demand for vehicles and infrastructure, bottlenecks in the approval of transports, and increasing regulation and bureaucracy are driving up costs in logistics.
The introduction of the calculation system for static track testing (BEM-ING Part 3) and itspotential impact on German industrial sites poses an additional challenge in large and heavy transport. The resulting additional burdens on the logistics industry may put German companies at a disadvantage in international competition.
Further information
Organizer
The event was offered by ProduktionNRW. ProduktionNRW is the cluster of mechanical engineering and production technology in North Rhine-Westphalia and is organized by VDMA NRW. ProduktionNRW sees itself as a platform to connect, inform and market companies, institutions and networks among each other and along the value chain. Significant parts of the services provided by ProduktionNRW are supported by funds from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.