Use of Ships Logistics Operation Saves 320,000 Road Kilometers
Steel Transport Tata Steel Duffel- IJmuiden: less trucks more ships
Tata Steel Duffel is a subsidiary of Tata Steel Nederland in Belgium, specializing in the production of laminated (Protact) packaging steel used in the manufacturing of food cans. Previously, the steel coils were transported by truck from Duffel to IJmuiden for final processing. However, this is now changing. In collaboration with the transshipment company RCT Stevedoring and the inland shipping cooperative PTC, the steel transport from Duffel to IJmuiden will no longer be carried out by truck on the road, but the steel coils will now be transported by inland barge. This results in a 91% reduction in truck transport between Duffel and IJmuiden, eliminating 1,400 to 1,800 truck movements and reducing road travel by 320,000 kilometers.
Martin van der Meer, Director of Outbound Logistics at Tata Steel Nederland, explains: "We are continuously working on smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient organization of our logistics. This logistical adjustment is not only beneficial for the climate but also for other road users. The trucks used to travel daily via the Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam rings, through the Velsertunnel to IJmuiden. This has now come to an end."
Every day, Tata Steel Nederland collaborates with its downstream organizations, customers, and other partners to achieve optimal sustainability in steel transport. In practice, this means that steel coils are transported as much as possible by ship or train, using green energy or biofuels where feasible. The remaining 9% of truck transport will also use the biofuel HVO100. Tata Steel Nederland is on its way to becoming a clean, green, and future-proof steel company. This green transition is not only implemented in the production process but in all parts of the company, with transportation being a significant part of it. Recently, Tata Steel Nederland also entered into a contract with Deutsche Bahn Cargo to carry out more than 80% of steel transport by train using green energy.