Produced in partnership between AUTF and Eurogroup Consulting, the first edition of this barometer makes it possible to draw up an inventory of river and combined freight operationsby analyzing a number of criteria, such as the modes favored by shippers, the clarity of the river offeror satisfaction and quality service.
Use of transport modes representative of the bulk flow landscape
Transport mode usage is consistent according to business sector. Conventional is mainly used by agriculture, aggregates and building materials. On the other hand, the combination is used more by the consumer goods, hazardous products and chemicals sectors.
The picture to date does not demonstrate the attractiveness of conventional products for sectors that do not traditionally use them.
Transport commissioners are key intermediaries
Freight forwarders are the preferred points of contact for both conventional (62%) and combined (54%) waterway transport, particularly for players in the consumer goods sector. 3/4 of consumer goods respondents use commission agents.
The aggregates and building materials sector favors direct contact with river transporters.
A good understanding of the river system for most respondents
70% of companies surveyed declare that the organization of river freight is both understandable and legible (including 13% "completely"). Note that 82% of the companies surveyed are connected to the waterway.
An educational effort therefore remains to be made for 30% of the panel, especially those not yet connected to the waterways network.
The relevance of river and combined transport offers is hard to convince
Whatever the mode, river or combined, only a third of companies surveyed felt that the offer met their needs. The findings are particularly harsh for large companies (sales >1 billion): 70% of them feel that supply does not match demand. The barometer also shows that connection to the waterway does not necessarily lead to a better match between supply and demand.
What are the prospects for river and combined freight?
Only a quarter of shippers (22%) say they have been offered innovative services in 2023. The solutions most frequently proposed, but also the most eagerly awaited by shippers concerned by river transport, are those that enable them to reduce environmental impact, thanks to low-carbon powertrains.
Pooling opportunities remain too marginal: only 40% of shippers were offered one in 2023 and half the panel is still waiting for innovation in this area.
The vast majority of loaders (68 %) felt that the impact of the energy context. There is no significant difference between sectors, which demonstrates a case-by-case logic, depending on purchasing policies. Whatever their sector, players are relatively used to dealing with fluctuations in the cost of RNG.
The multiple strikes that took place in 2023 had an impact on river transport (27% of strong impact declared by respondents), but in a more localized way than for rail, notably on the Rhône, where navigation was disrupted for several weeks by the blocking of a lock.
Finally, of all the proposed modes of transport, river transport is the one most often cited as being among the best. in the top 3 modes of transport which will see strong growth in the coming years, followed by short sea and combined road/river transport. This is a change from 2022, when combined rail/road transport topped the ranking in the Rail Barometer, which already asked this question.
The under-utilization of river transport and the economic difficulties for rail in 2023 or are possible explanations.
