CARGO BUSINESS 2-08.indd - ZSSK Cargo

in June 2011. As stated by Ing. Ján Halaj of Ministry of Transport, the
East Slovak Transhipment Yards and CTT are the key objects in eastern
part of the country, which are not only necessary to be renewed but
also to be further developed. As the reason for construction of CTT
Dobrá, he mentioned the increasing loads from Far East. Apart from
transhipment, CTT Dobrá is equipped for transportation in Ro-La transport
system, which may unload the overloaded roads.
Development of combined transport is given support all over Europe,
but also Slovakia is moving in the right direction. In the field of direct
financial support, with effect from March 2006, the Decree of the
Ministry of Transport regarding the subsidies granting in the field of
combined transport is valid. However, as it was stated by Ing. Peter
Závodný of the Ministry of Transport, only two applications for the subsidy
were filed in 2007; of these only one was realized. The Ministry
has proposed to increase the subsidy amount to 50 million Slovak
crowns a year. At the same time, according to his statement, it is
also crucial to balance the economic status of the individual types of
transport, e.g. by charging the road freight carriers for use of transport
route. Different to the rail transport, road transport carriers do not
bear the relevant expenses.
Currently, the issue of internalization of external costs, i.e. inclusion
of costs for elimination of negative impacts of transport on the
environment and charging the transport route in individual types
of transport has not been completely solved. By internalization
of external costs, the independent costs in road transport for the
vehicle type towing vehicle – trailer, semi-trailer will increase by 38 %
and in rail transport by 1,6 %. Consequently, the limit transportation
distance between the direct road and rail transport will decrease by
69%, - as it was emphasized by the head of co-modality and freight
logistics department of the Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications,
Ing. Peter Závodný in his presentation. Ing. Závodný also
mentioned the deficiencies of rail transport. These include the area of
determination of justified price for use of transport route, which is the
highest one within the member states of the European Union.
During the conference in Košice, the member of the board of directors
and Trade Division Director Ing. Ján Šimčo presented the concept of
ZSSK CARGO business strategy in the area of intermodal transport. In
his presentation, he emphasized the increase in intermodal transport
in Slovakia by record-breaking 35% in 2007.
Transportation of containers for automotive industry is considered to
be the key activity.
- ZSSK CARGO is aware of the combined transport potential and
therefore, it supports the renovation of rolling stocks for intermodal
transport. At the same time, we have initiated the negotiations
related to reduction of high charges for use of rail infrastructure,
which make this type of transport less attractive, - emphasized Ing.
Ján Šimčo in his presentation.
The issues related to CTT Dobrá were also presented by the statutory
executive of METRANS Ing. Jiří Samek. According to him, construction
of CTT Dobrá in east Slovakia is a strategic moment in relation to
communication of two gauges and connection with Eastern Europe
and Asia. – However, Ministry has not created the conditions for its
use. Among them, there is a price for transport route, which is rather
demotivating for carriers. Suitable road connection to Ukraine and
Hungary is missing. Its solution belongs to powers of the ministry.
– stated in his presentation the statutory executive of the biggest
operator in Central European region.
At the end, the participants of specialized seminar accepted the information
communiqué.
Monika SCHMIDTOVÁ
Information communiqué
The participants of the specialized seminar “Border crossing Čierna
– Solomonovo and its impact on intermodal transport in the Slovak
Republic”, on the basis of presented contributions and expert discussion,
recommend the following:
to accelerate the construction of the road border crossing Čierna
– Solomonovo and to put it into operation. The experts see further
potential of trade activities development with Ukraine and possibility
to use the unutilized capacities of intermodal transport in the Slovak
Republic,
to consider the possibilities of new road crossing opening between
the Slovak Republic and Hungary Dobrá – Dámoc, which would significantly
contribute to goods exchange between the EU states and
Ukraine and thereby, to development of intermodal transport in SR,
to take the measures for gradual decrease of charges for rail carriers
due to inadequate charges for use of rail infrastructure in SR, which
will create harmonized conditions within the competition fight and
possibilities to return at least a part of transportations from road to
railway,
For the Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications, may all
its decisions, having a positive impact on development of intermodal
transport in the Slovak Republic, go through the comment procedure
of all involved organizations and institutions, which operate in
intermodal transport area,
For the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, to provide
financial funds from the state budget, or via customs authorities of
the Slovak Republic from the EU funds for construction of the border
crossing.
20/21