As part of their sustainability partnership agreement, IVECO and Gruber Logistics present the first alternative fuel-powered transport vehicle for abnormal loads up to 50 tonnes, the IVECO S-WAY LNG, which delivers operational and environmental efficiency. The use of alternative fuel transport solutions for the transportation of abnormal loads is an important milestone on the way to achieving the decarbonisation of the sector.
The transport of abnormal loads refers to the transport by road of goods exceeding the weight, dimension and/or safety limits prescribed by the Highway Code and which require special permits in order to be moved. The performance of heavy goods vehicles powered by liquid methane (standard loads up to 24 tonnes) is comparable to that of diesel-powered vehicles. However, there remains a difference in engine power, which may have an impact on the vehicles’ performance on particularly difficult uphill slopes or when transporting loads that exceed weight limits. Thanks to the dedication of Gruber Logistics, this obstacle has been overcome by creating the logistical conditions necessary to introduce alternative fuels to the abnormal load sector. In fact, following an initial testing period, liquid methane vehicles are now in operation on routes between Germany and the UK from the Kreuztal area, one of Gruber Logistics’ main sites in Germany. The loads being transported vary in weight between 30 and 50 tonnes.
Michael Gruber, Head of the XTL division at Gruber Logistics, confirmed: “We often see just the problems instead of the solutions. It will be possible for LNG, and later BioLNG, to be widely used in the abnormal load sector, but in order to make this happen, we must change our working methods, change routes, change how we drive, etc. These and other issues must be tackled in order to successfully implement ECO innovations on a large scale, even in areas we could never before have imagined it were possible.”
Fabrizio Buffa, IVECO Italy Market Alternative Propulsions Manager, says: “Together with Gruber Logistics, our IVECO S-WAY LNG are on the road leading to the decarbonisation of the world of transport – now including even abnormal load transport, an important milestone for the sector. The use of natural gas, particularly in its bio version, is essential in achieving immediate, efficient results; as evidenced by a recent study by the Italian National Research Council (CNR), a heavy goods vehicle powered by Bio-LNG can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 121% compared to a diesel equivalent.”