Scotland 'could benefit from greener supply chain'

Date: 13/9/2011

Creating a more efficient, safe and environmentally-friendly supply chain could benefit Scotland.

Such is the claim of the Freight Transport Association (FTA), which recently outlined these beliefs in a meeting with the Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown.

It also urged the Scottish National Party to continue supporting the country's Freight Facilities Grant, which has helped delivery firms looking to transport goods in a greener way.

This can potentially go towards assisting Scotland in achieving its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 42 per cent by 2020.

Another point the organisation was keen to focus on was that of ensuring the country's supply chain remains resilient during winter weather.

Theo de Pencier, Chief Executive Officer of the FTA, said that last year, Scottish businesses were brought "to a standstill" when the temperature dropped, causing the usual schedule to fall behind and some of the country's integral export earners to suffer.

"Hopefully better communication between industry and government will prepare and support the logistics sector properly so it can do its job and deliver [to] the economy," he added.

In September, the FTA hosted a roundtable seminar about the possibility of utilising water-based freight services.

Christopher Snelling, Manager of Freight by Water, said that this option could provide benefits in terms of reducing emissions and avoiding congestion, prompting him to call it an "increasingly promising proposition".

Posted by Mary Treen