There is more than 4,000 miles of inland waterways located through the manufacturing heartlands of the Midlands down to the country’s southern coasts. However, despite this readily available transport route, many businesses have not yet made the most of the opportunity presented by the network for the transportation of freight across the country. It is thought that the use of these waterways to transport freight from the manufacturer in the Midlands throughout the country could cost less that more conventional modes of transport.
At the 2017 Freight by Water Conference, there is expected to be an emphasis on the different opportunities that are available for transport. The water network connects Leeds to other Northern cities to the Humber port as well as providing alternative links between Manchester and Liverpool. The Conference will be taking place in the 1st November at Doncaster Racecourse and is free to attend. The event will offer delegates a chance to debate the best ways to make the most of the business opportunities that are presented by water transport. During discussions there will also be case studies presented for the different ways that water freight is becoming more of an integrated part of last-mile distribution solutions.
The Freight Transport Association’s Head of Global Policy, Alex Veitch has said that water is one of the transportation network’s unsung heroes. The FTA co-ordinates the work of Freight by Water and has seen that businesses are experiencing an increased amount of pressure to maintain their margins while also making sure that they support their UK trading partners. The use of the country’s inland waterways could be the ideal solution to making sure that companies can carry out their deliveries effectively and on budget.
Freight by Water, a part of the FTA, is looking to promote the different benefits of using water freight as a commercially viable and environmentally sustainable mode of transport. At the conference, there will be speakers representing the different key ports and waterways bodies to promote this idea to delegates.
