Aidan Flynn: Freight sector requires roadmap to reach decarbonisation targets 

The extent of legislation, regulations, and advice that is being published to enshrine the policy position is overwhelming. 

It is essential that a national decarbonisation road freight strategy through collaboration and engagement by the Government with key stakeholders is developed.

This level of collaboration and transparency is essential if Ireland is to come close to meeting the commercial transport decarbonisation targets.

The strategy must take account of Ireland’s unique status as an island and one that is reliant of the importation of energy and fuel.

Ireland as an island nation has a different trajectory to change than mainland Europe for many obvious reasons, not least because of our island status and lack of historical investment in alternative fuels.

Our position must be highlighted in the national decarbonisation strategy and should impress upon the EU the supports and timelines for change applicable to Ireland.

A new report titled ‘Decarbionising the Road Freight sector in Ireland’, to be published on of July 9, sets out to assist key stakeholders in understanding the complex challenges for commercial fleets operators in Ireland.

The integrity of supply chains is sacrosanct to our global reputation.

Ireland’s supply chains have demonstrated over the last number of years significant resilience and an innovative spirit that has seen off Brexit and covid.

Key to the success of all supply chains is developing robust relationships where each link in the supply chain works in tandem to deliver efficiencies and excellent service. 

This must now be extended to work collaboratively in understanding the challenges of decarbonisation.

A major shift in mindset is required across this sector to embrace the decarbonisation challenge, but the profile of hauliers in Ireland, with a large number of operators owning and operating a small or very small number of vehicles, makes the economics of wide-scale shift to alternative vehicles very challenging in the short term.

Transition to zero emissions

To encourage uptake in new alternative fuelling technologies the narrative must shift to focus on affordability and benefits of the transition to zero emissions. 

The infrastructure investment that enables greater use of alternatively fuelled vehicles requires significant capital expenditure and collaboration between the private sector and government.

Developing trust and transparency that is matched by a clear policy pathway for change is critical to this. 

Industry needs certainty to make the investments necessary for this transformational change.

For fleet operators, the focus must centre on the ‘total cost of ownership’, that takes account of the costs of truck acquisition, average fuel prices, maintenance, and other items such as average road tolls, taxes, and levies.

For each actor in the transition landscape, change must make business sense for the investment required, and more importantly it must give a healthy return on that investment.

The cost of the new technologies, the lifespan of the new technologies and the infrastructure available to support the effective transition to newer fuelling technologies requires public private partnerships that has the investment support underwritten by the Government.

One of the key takeaways in the report is that a whole of government strategy is necessary to support the transformational change.

For effective and efficient refuelling infrastructure that supports Ireland’s commercial fleets to decarbonise requires engagement and alignment between many government departments and agencies on a national and local government level. 

This is essential if Ireland is to come close to meeting the transport decarbonisation targets.

• Aidan Flynn is chief executive of Freight Transport Association Ireland