COMBINED TRANSPORT SERVICES IN EUROPE DECLINE SLIGHTLY IN Q3 2024
Combined transport in Europe experienced a slight decline of 0.79% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to the European combined transport association, UIRR. The drop follows a modest rebound in Q2 2024, which saw a 4.25% increase. However, the broader trend reflects persistent challenges, with combined transport registering five consecutive quarters of decline up until the end of 2023, when services contracted by 10.57%.
Key infrastructure issues were cited as major contributors to the Q3 decline. These included the 21-day closure of Germany’s Rhine Valley line and the ongoing closure of the Frejus Railway, the critical border link between Italy and France. While the Rhine Valley disruption was mitigated by a diversion through France, the Frejus Railway closure is expected to persist until spring 2025, creating long-term strain on cross-border logistics.
In addition to infrastructure challenges, UIRR highlighted Europe’s increasing vulnerability to climate change-related weather events. Extreme weather phenomena, including floods and storms, have significantly disrupted transport networks across countries like Italy, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Romania, and Spain in recent months.
“A standing European-level crisis and contingency mechanism would need to be established to help minimize disruptions to cross-border traffic,” UIRR urged, emphasizing the likelihood of more frequent climate-related disruptions in the future.
While Q2 2024 offered some hope of recovery, the slight decline in Q3 underscores the need for proactive measures to bolster resilience in Europe’s combined transport sector. Investments in infrastructure, coupled with coordinated contingency planning, will be essential to ensure the sector’s long-term stability and alignment with the EU’s sustainability goals.
Source: UIIR