Onion sector Zeeland reduces road transport by 1 mln miles

Onion sector Zeeland reduces road transport by 1 mln miles

The synchromodal "Vlissingen concept" through Kloosterboer Vlissingen saves 1500 ton CO2 by reducing the road transport by 1 mln miles.

Onions are Holland’s largest agro export product in volume. More than 80% is exported via Zeeland to over 120 countries worldwide.

A number of companies active in the onion sector in Zeeland have joined forces to enable a more efficient logistics solution for containers. By re-using reefer containers, smart planning and joint offering of goods via the port of Vlissingen, the onion sector saves 1500 tons of CO2 by reducing the road transport by 1 mln. miles. This saving is the outcome of using Vlissingen instead of Antwerp or Rotterdam as jumping-off point for export and avoiding transport of empty reefers.

The results of this cooperation, called the “Vlissingen concept”, were presented to an audience of over 20 different traders, shippers and logistics service providers active in the onion sector on Wednesday 21 September. This meeting was organised by Zeeland Connect, the independent logistics platform for the region.

On behalf of the Province of Zeeland, delegate mr. J. de Bat stressed the importance of a sector-wide approach. Only by bundling volumes the entire sector will benefit from the logistics advantages of the synchromodal solution presented.

Chairman Gijsbrecht Gunter of the Holland Onion Association encouraged the companies present that do not yet make use of the synchromodal opportunities of Vlissingen to try this out and join this initiative.

The results of this synchromodal solution are explained in the attached film.

Zeeland Connect. the logistics platform in Zeeland where companies, government and education work together, organized this meeting in close cooperation with the Holland Onion Association. The logistics cooperation is a joint initiative of Zeeland Seaports, Kloosterboer and a number of onion exporters including JWK, MSP and Top Onions. Zeeland Connect and this initiative are part of Lean & Green Synchromodal, an action program of the Logistics Topsector. The basic principle of Lean & Green Synchromodal is that economic and social growth of road transport is only possible if, at the same time, the growth of other means of transportation is stronger. This creates space on the road to allow the growth of high-quality road transport and to improve traffic flow and accessibility. With the Lean & Green Synchromodal program the Logistics Topsector wants to actively involve shippers and logistics service providers in initiatives for synchromodal transport and encourage new forms of collaboration.