27 DIARIO DEL PUERTO MIÉRCOLES 7 FEBRERO 2024 Ramón Valdivia, vicepresidente ejecutivo de la Asociación del Transporte Internacional por Carretera (ASTIC). Ramon Valdivia, executive vice-president of the Road International Transport Association (ASTIC). ÎLas condiciones meteorológicas han retrasado la campaña de exportación de las frutas y hortalizas españolas que, hasta mediados del mes de noviembre, no han alcanzado la actividad que se suele dar unmes anterior. Asimismo, la reducción de la demanda en los países europeos también ha influido en el transporte frigorífico por carretera. JUAN CARLOS PALAU VALENCIA. Esta reducción se ha producido en losmercadosmás importantes como son los de Francia, Alemania y Benelux, con caídas, en algunos casos, de dos dígitos como en el caso del país germano. A pesar de ello, las empresas de transporte frigorífico internacional han mantenido su cuota en el ámbito europeo a pesar de la enorme competencia que se vive en este sector, según ha destacado en declaraciones a Diario del Puerto el vicepresidente ejecutivo de la Asociación del Transporte Internacional por Carretera (ASTIC), Ramón Valdivia. Para comenzar, ¿qué balance realiza de la actividad del sector del transporte por carretera a temperatura durante 2023? ¿Fue unmejor año en comparación a los ejercicios precedentes? Desde ASTIC nos centramos, principalmente, en el transporte pesadodemediay largadistancia, obviamente conmucha incidencia de recorridos internacionales y cargas muy ligadas al sector hortofrutícola. En ese ámbito y hablando de actividad -puramente rutas, toneladas y kilómetros, dejo aparte precios, costes y rentabilidades- el año 2023 ha mostrado peculiaridades importantes respecto a 2022 ligadas a la caídadeproducciónnacional que las condiciones meteorológicas hanpropiciado, sehadadoun“retardo” en el inicio de la campaña exportadora que hastamediados de noviembre no ha obtenido la actividad que normalmente se desencadenaunmes antes. Por otra parte, también la reducción de la demanda de los hogares europeos, de nuestros mercadosmás importantescomo sonFrancia, AlemaniayBenelux, se ha notado, en algunos casos como el alemán, con caídas porcentuales de dos dígitos. Desde el lado de rentabilidad empresarial, no ha sido un buen año (especialmente si lo comparamos con 2022, que sí lo fue) debido alassubidasdecasi todos loscomponentes del coste operativo -laboral, seguros, peajes, financieros, componentes, etc.- que algo se ha podidopaliargraciasalaevolución delpreciodeloscombustibles CARRETERA · Ramón Valdivia, vicepresidente ejecutivo de ASTIC ROAD · Ramon Valdivia, ASTIC executive vice-president “Nuestras empresas de transporte frigorífico han mantenido su cuota en el ámbito europeo” “Our reefer transport companies have kept their share at European level” ÎThe meteorological conditions have led to a delay in the exporter campaign that did not recover its normal activity until midNovember. Likewise, the demand reduction on the European countries has also affected the road reefer transport. JUAN CARLOS PALAU VALENCI A . Thi s reduct ion has taken place in the most important markets such as France , Germany and the Benelux, dropping insome cases two digits such as in Germany. Despite this, the international reefer transport companies have kept their share at the European level despite of the enormous competitiongoingon in this industry, as highlighted in statements to Diario del Puerto the executive vicepresident of the Association of International Road Transport (ASTIC), RamónValdivia. To start off, what is your assessment of the reefer road transport industry’s activity in 2023? Was it a better year compared to previous years? From ASTIC we mainly focus on mid and long-di stance heavy transport. There is a high percentage of international routes and cargo related to the horticulture industry. When it comes to activity – routes, tons andkilometers, notmentioning costs and profits- this year 2023 has shown important mi lestones as opposed to 2022 tied to reduction of the national production caused by the meteorological conditions. The start of the exporter campaignwas delayedup to the point where in mid-November it had not yet got the activity it should have had a month earlier. On the other hand, the drop in demand from European households within our most importantsectorssuchasFrance, Germany and the Benelux has also taken a toll. In case of Germany, we are talking about two digits drop. F r om t h e c o r p o r a t e profitability point of view, it has not really been a good year (specially compared to 2022) due to the increase of almost every single component of the operational costs, - labor, insurance, tol ls , f inancial , components, etc.-.” However, this increase is partially being offset a little bit thanks to the gas prices evolution and to the upward trend of the transport costs influenced by the drop in demand. I do not want to forget some “scary moments” due to certain French agricultural mobilizations that ended up in mere anecdotes. It is important tomentionthataftermanyyears of relative calmness some alerts a r e out the r e r ega rd i ng mobilizations. We are hoping itwill go no further. What are the expectations for the year 2024? It is a very complicated time to make previsions in this field, or inanyotherfieldfor thatmatter. The macro indicators do not foresee the return to the path of increased demand (neither national, nor international) and the regulatory modifications suchasweights anddimensions or the well-known Mobility Package may have unexpected effects. Nevertheless, just like in 2023 and since it has been a trend for over twenty years, our international refrigerated transport companies have kept their market share at the European level despite the enormous competition in this industry. We would not go that far as to try and predict a scenario for 2024. The inflation, the evolution of the energetic costs, the application of new regulations -the forementioned as well as the new tolls that are starting to being applied in Germany- and the potential stagnation of the demand within our main international markets as well as the national ones . These i s taking the industry’ volatility activity to a peak.Wewill have toanalyse “Los principales ‘drivers’ que incidirán sobre el sector de temperatura controlada no son distintos del resto” “The main factors that influence the controlled temperature business are not different than the rest”
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