Since December 1, 2023, Germany has significantly increased its road toll costs by adding a substantial CO₂ surcharge for heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes. If you don’t update your transport strategy through Germany, this toll hike could greatly impact your logistics costs. The good news? There has never been a better time or stronger incentive to optimise your logistics flow for greater efficiency and crucial cost savings.
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How to avoid the German increase in CO2 toll for heavy transport?
3 tips to reduce costs and optimise your trans-European logistics flow
Understanding the new CO₂ toll in Germany
Germany is behind schedule to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030 (Climate Change News). To address this, the country introduced a CO₂ surcharge on truck tolls starting December 1, 2023. This new toll aims to reduce emissions by encouraging the shift towards climate-neutral drive systems and a modal shift towards more rail and water transport.
For companies regularly shipping goods through or within Germany, this surcharge will increase operational costs. For example, a shipment from Berlin to a UK destination covering approximately 590 km of German toll roads would see a significant cost increase:
Even at just one shipment a day, five days a week, the cost increase could amount to thousands of euros per month.
Balance change with change
Fortunately, this is where capable logistics experts come in. The right logistics partner can help lower overall costs, reduce road kilometres, and minimise CO₂ emissions. A more efficient, sustainable transport plan will also align your company more closely with its sustainability targets. Here are three ways you can use this German toll change to your advantage.
1. Assess your logistics chain
Exploring new logistics strategies and transportation modes can significantly reduce long-haul trucking kilometres and road toll expenses. Shifting away from road-based route planning towards an intermodal approach that prioritises rail transport and sea shipping might be the cleanest path forward.
An experienced logistics team can help you assess your current logistics flow and offer impactful process recommendations, including modal shifts. Even small changes to your shipping strategy can significantly reduce emissions and benefit your financial bottom line.
2. Analyse your transport data
While eliminating road kilometres entirely is unlikely, robust data analysis can empower you to make cost-effective decisions at each stage of your shipping process.
A reliable shipping partner will dive deep into global transportation data, interpreting information related to load optimisation, fuel efficiency, fleet performance, available routes, road taxes, and carbon emissions. Combining these analytics with your company’s unique shipping data will help identify cost-efficient and low-carbon routes and modes of transportation.
3. Optimise your paperwork
Increased tolls and operational costs add an administrative burden, making informed and proactive administrative support essential.
A high-quality logistics partner with extensive experience makes sure he remains up-to-date on transportation regulations throughout Europe and the UK, ensuring regulatory compliance and avoiding unnecessary fees, fines, or overcharges.
At NDQ, we are fully equipped to raise the bar on your logistics. We offer multimodal transport solutions by road, rail, and sea, top-level administrative support, and a state-of-the-art warehouse strategically located in the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. If you need to ship goods between the European mainland and the UK & Ireland, we are your one-stop shop.
Want to know how we can optimise your logistics flow?