This commentary appeared in the print edition of the Jan. 6, 2020, Journal of Commerce Annual Review and Outlook.
This time of the year, we are normally looking back but most importantly, also looking forward. The year 2020 will be exciting. This year in Europe, the new European Commission will start with new plans for the sector. The Green Deal will be an important one, to be issued within 100 days after the formal start of the commission on Dec. 1, 2019.
Greening operations is more and more an important subject for shippers. Buyers of their products, especially belonging to the young generation, are protesting on the streets of European capitals and asking for more sustainable transport.
By making transport more efficient — for instance, by avoiding running empty — we as shippers also serve the climate goals. An important tool is the use of digitization. For that reason, we welcome the European legislative proposal which will finally oblige member states to accept all information in a digital format. Digital information enables reuse of information and, as a consequence, better use of transport capacity.
As we learned from some leaked documents, the new European Commission would make co-modality even more central in their policy than the former commission did. Important for shippers is that sufficient capacity will be guaranteed for freight transport. The pressure on rail corridors by passenger trains is very high. If we really would like a modal shift to happen, quality in rail transport should increase. Without sufficient capacity, this is not possible.
The labor market for drivers and logistical personnel is worrying shippers. A large percentage of drivers will retire in the years to come. We also really should make the profession attractive for those workers now underrepresented in logistics, like women.
Let’s hope that conditions for world trade will improve, since “trade wars” have decreased world trade in 2019. Finally, let’s hope for an ending as happy as possible for the Brexit saga.