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The German road freight association has warned that the sharp rise in diesel prices is placing a significant strain on the haulage industry and called on the government for help.<\/p>\n
Since the start of the war in Iran, the price has risen by around 40 cents ($0.46) per litre, said Dirk Engelhardt, head of the Federal Association of Road Haulage, Logistics and Waste Management (BGL).<\/p>\n
With a monthly mileage of 10,000 kilometres and fuel consumption of 30 litres per 100 kilometres, this results in additional costs of around \u20ac1,200 per month for a lorry, he said.<\/p>\n
In recent years, the average fuel consumption for larger lorries has been between 35 and 40 litres per 100 kilometres.<\/p>\n
For a fleet of 50 vehicles, this amounts to more than \u20ac700,000 per year. \u201cIt stands to reason that this could have an impact on consumer prices sooner or later,\u201d Engelhardt said.<\/p>\n
As diesel prices rise, the transport sector is calling on the government for support. Swift measures are needed that do not involve a lot of bureaucracy to secure companies\u2019 liquidity and maintain supply chains, Engelhardt said.<\/p>\n
A diesel price cap would also help limit the burden on businesses and prevent insolvencies among small and medium-sized enterprises. Further measures could include a refund of the CO2 levy on diesel or a suspension of the CO2 component of the lorry toll.<\/p>\n
What counts is that the measures are targeted and reach transport companies directly, he said.<\/p>\n
Many companies rely on what are known as diesel floaters to hedge against price fluctuations. These are price escalation clauses agreed upon in individual contracts that operate in both directions.<\/p>\n
But often, it takes time for them to take effect and these can only cushion the current burdens to a limited extent. \u201cAnd many small transport companies do not have such hedging mechanisms at all \u2013 the costs hit them immediately,\u201d Engelhardt said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n