>> BoxTradeIntelligence has released an analysis of Asia-Europe Westbound trade lane.  It is available here .

>> MDS Transmodal's presentation to Intermodal Europe 2011 conference in Hamburg is available for download.

>> MDS Transmodal's presentation on Port Infrastructure Development to RenewableUK 2011 conference in London is available for download. 

>> The 2011 competition for funding for international sustainable distribution services from the European Commission's Marco Polo Programme has now started and the deadline for submissions is 16 January 2012.   For a description of the main changes to the Programme this year and how MDS Transmodal can help you to develop a successful application, please see the attached White Paper

>> Longer lorries.  On the 30th March, the Department for Transport (DfT) published a consultation on a proposal to allow a 2.05m increase in the length of semi-trailers and a maximum overall length for articulated HGVs of 18.75m.  Read more

>> The UK Government's Comprehensive Spending Review has been very significant for the transport market.  MDS Transmodal produced freight traffic forecasts for the Freight Transport Association's submission.

For FTA's submission click here.

The current and forecast road and rail traffic maps are our work.

>> South America Trade Briefing The third in the series of trade briefings from MDS Transmodal - the South America Trade Briefing -presents analysis of containerised trade data to 4Q 2009 and forecasts for the next two years using the MDS Transmodal World Cargo Database.

>> North America Trade Briefing The second in the series of trade briefings from MDS Transmodal - the North America Trade Briefing -presents analysis of containerised trade data to 4Q 2009 and forecasts for the next two years using the MDS Transmodal World Cargo Database.

>> China Trade Briefing 2010  The latest China Trade Briefing report from MDS Transmodal highlights key trends in China's containerised import and export trades with near term quarterly predictions for 2010 and 2011.  Although the last 18 months have seen the container markets fall in spectacular fashion, still the words "double-digit growth" have not left the shipping industry's parlance as far as China is concerned.  The China Trade Briefing report shows why.  As well as looking at broad trends in imports and exports the report provides specific details on China's container trades with trading partners and particular commodity groups, drilling down to SITC 5 digit level in some cases.

>> Consolidated UK International Passenger database, available for 2010, describing passenger volumes by mode, route, origin/destination, journey purpose, length of stay and purpose, compatible with IPS, ferry operator and CAA sources. More...Italiano...

 

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Longer Semi-trailers Project

The Department for Transport has now launched a consultation on the proposals based on the findings of the research project.  The summary report and associated technical reports can be downloaded using the following links:

Final summary report

D4 evidence gathering

D4 evidence gathering - appendix a

D4 evidence gathering - appendix b

D5 economic assessment

D5 economic assessment - annex

To view the DfT consultation papers click here

Summary of the research project's broad areas:

 1. Assessing industry need:

  • The extent to which longer semi-trailers would be used (i.e. determining market 'need'), including identifying the likely freight sectors (e.g. liquid and dry bulk, palletised general cargo and FMCG) and journey types (e.g. primary, secondary and tertiary distribution); and
  • Given market need, identifying the likely tractor unit/longer semi-trailer combinations which would be most used (e.g. magnitude of length increase, overall height etc) and for which types of movements;

 2. The economic impact:

  • The impact on the cost of transporting goods by road and rail freight, including an assessment of the capital costs and running costs of longer semi-trailer combinations; and
  • Estimating the wider economic impact, taking into account any cost savings to industry and impacts on wider society;

 3. Safety, infrastructure and environmental impact:

  • Compatibility with existing infrastructure, including the public road network, distribution centres and retail outlet loading bays;
  • The overall environmental impact, including but not restricted to CO2 emissions across freight modes as a whole;
  • The implications for vehicle design (need for steering axles etc) and safety (e.g. tail-swing and stability); and
  • The effects on fatalities and serious injuries.