DAILY NEWS


CAN ROAD FEEDER SERVICES GO GREEN?


R


oad feeder services (RFS) are the quiet workhorses of air cargo. Every day, trucks shuttle pharmaceuticals, e-commerce shipments and high-value goods between airports and final destinations. The sector is essential, yet also one of the hardest to decarbonise. As airlines face pressure to report emissions on their shipments, the road segment has emerged as


a glaring weak point. Benny Smets, CEO of Belgian haulier Ninatrans, knows the dilemma first-hand.


“Electric trucks cost three times the price of a diesel truck… autonomy is not sufficient… there is not enough infrastructure available to recharge on time,” he said.


“Electric trucks are not yet scalable under current conditions, but we are building


knowledge now to be ready when infrastructure and costs improve.” Ninatrans, a family-owned firm founded in the 1950s, has always been early to


test new ideas. Today it is running trials with battery-electric trucks on short-haul routes in Belgium. But the limits are clear. “We are testing because we have to build knowledge and experience,” Smets


explained. “But if you have to do long-distance runs, autonomy is not sufficient. And the infrastructure — charging stations with the right power — is simply not there yet.”


www.aircargoweek.com


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