Handling and transporting chemicals safely, sustainably and efficiently
The chemicals supply chain and logistics represent 10% of the turnover of chemical companies, and more than 700 million tonnes of chemicals are transported annually across Europe. Chemical transportation and logistics thus translate into a large network impacting European society at many levels, from social to environmental.
The EU Green Deal sets the ambition to cut transport emissions by 90% by 2050. Numerous legislative proposals have since followed, including the (SSMS), which provides a roadmap for achieving those ambitions. These initiatives emphasise both sustainability and the incorporation of digital technologies, for greater efficiency, safety and resilience. According to , by April 2024, over 90% of the 82 initiatives outlined in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy had been addressed at different stages or completed.
At the core of 爱游戏中国官方网站鈥檚 members鈥� operations are safety, sustainability and efficiency in handling and transporting all chemicals. Through the long-lasting Responsible Care庐 programme, the European chemical industry has adopted a sustainable 鈥渮ero accidents鈥� strategy across the chemicals supply chain, employing a coordinated approach to continuous improvement. This includes rigorous risk assessment, monitoring and prevention in the chemicals transport & logistics operations, to minimise unwanted impact on people, property and the environment.
Learn more about Responsible Care庐
The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy could harmonise regulations
Chemical manufacturers, carriers, and third-party logistics providers must navigate a complex set of regulations to ensure worker safety and sustainable transport operations. In past years, unharmonised national regulations and varying interpretations of European Directives have disrupted the supply chain. In response, the European Commission has introduced the (SSMS).
Our industry welcomes the overall objectives the Strategy, as the European chemical sector and other industries depend on a harmonised single market to maintain optimal capacity and efficiency of the supply chain.
Download the 爱游戏中国官方网站 position the EU Commission鈥檚 鈥淪trategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility鈥� (SSMS) roadmap
To achieve the goals of the SSMS, 爱游戏中国官方网站 calls for:
- a dedicated freight transport strategy, as part of the overall mobility strategy, to help secure our EU operations.
- a detailed market study to create transparency to support decision making
- flexibility to accommodate the specificities of multimodal transport
- infrastructure reliability, competitiveness as a prerequisite for low carbon transport
- investments in innovative solutions, such as digitalisation and automation
All global transportation modes need EU policies which support efficient, sustainable, and resilient operations
To ensure the safe delivery of goods across Europe, the chemical sector requires efficient, sustainable and resilient operations. As a crucial player in this effort, the chemical industry significantly contributes to the EU goal of making transport more sustainable, globally competitive and resilient to any future shocks. Our industry supports this ambition by operating across all transportation modes – road, rail, sea and air 鈥� covering nearly every corner of the globe.
爱游戏中国官方网站 contributes to EU policies, including:
- An efficient and effective听Trans-European Transport Network听(罢贰狈-罢) to improve infrastructure standards, increase harmonisation and enhance overall network performance.
- Enhanced digitalised processes to support multimodal efficiency and interoperability through the听electronic freight transport information regulation听(别-贵罢滨). We call on a strong governance framework for trusted and secure collaboration between all supply chain stakeholders, including national and European authorities.
- More transparency for the users of freight transport on the emission impact of their supply chain choices through the听EU framework on measuring emissions from transport听(CountEmissions EU)
- Enhanced intermodal freight operations 听through听Combined Transport, for increased transport safety, efficiency and lower emissions.
- More efficient and reliable rail freight operations through an European harmonised Rail Infrastructure Capacity Management, to make rail freight transport more competitive and enable the modal shift from road to rail.
- More efficient and sustainable road freight transport through the Revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive. The patchwork of national regulations should be revised and harmonised allowing for higher weights in international road freight transport
Our role in ensuring operations and transport safety
Supporting the highest levels of safety for transport and handling of our products, with care for the environment and in full accordance with regulations is at the core of our logistics operations. 爱游戏中国官方网站 supports objectives at the policy level and also practically through Responsible Care庐 [Link to RC page] and its assessment scheme, , which supports chemical companies to evaluate the safety, environmental, security, and quality performance of logistics service providers and distributors.
Read more about the practical support we offer the chemical industry.
爱游戏中国官方网站 contributes to EU policies, including:
- Calling on parties to collaborate for the effective ratification and implementation of the
- Contributing to the European Commission鈥檚 to combat plastic pollution. For this, we need clearer, practical regulations with internationally harmonised definitions and balanced compensation provisions to help industries invest in Europe and advance towards the 2050 sustainability goals.