Mainly on the Elbe River - Central Europe

3.2 COSTS OF TRANSPORT AND OVERLOAD, SPEED OF TRANSPORT AND
OTHER ECONOMIC ASPECTS
The transport cost is a complex figure constituted of direct and indirect expenses. These partial
expenses differ according to following variables: transported commodities and their potential
hazards, equipment of overloading and loading points, requests of recipients, means of transport
and other parameters. The conditions for combined transportation are different and so are the
associated expenses. The expenses are basically divided into direct and indirect costs.
3.2.1 Direct costs
These expenses are constituted by transportation price, loading expenses of the sender,
unloading expenses of the recipient and expenses for preparatory overload between individual
transport modes.
• The actual costs of transport were addressed in the section 3.1. The price depends on
the transport mode and the commodity type. The transportation prices under ADR, RID
and ADN are generally higher than prices for transporting common goods.
• The loading costs of the sender and the unloading costs of the recipient are the most
variable expenses. The price is different for loose bulk commodities unloaded by
elevators and by dredgers. Pallet goods are not very suitable for closed railway wagons,
but they are ideal for truck transport. The price for transporting depletible commodities is
the lowest unless deeply frozen liquid gasses are handled. Generally, the loading
costs of the sender and the unloading costs of the recipient for various transport
modes do not significantly differ.
• The expenses associated with overload among transport modes – obviously, these
expenses are not solely bound to single-mode transport (pure road transport, railway -
shuttle train, waterway – port). Change of a transport mode means an increase in total
transport costs. A double or multiple changes of transport modes (road-railway-road)
deteriorate the benefits of a cheaper transport mode.
• Combined transport by ISO containers is less burdened with overload costs (easier
handling, identical overloading equipment for all transported commodities).
Furthermore, the necessity to shelter storage areas is eliminated and space
requirements are lower. Also, hazardous materials are in containers secured more
easily (containers are closed, possibly with safety locks, seals etc.).
Direct costs may involve package price. These costs are rather not dependent on a
transport mode, and therefore they are not included by the processor.
A feasibility study for “Improvement of Conditions for the River Transport in Central Europe (mainly on the Elbe
River)“ realized within the ChemLog project 135