Grout Takes Issue With Criticism Of Sea Change
August 21st, 2008
Claims by the Road Transport Forum the Govt’s targets for boosting the market share of coastal shipping under its Sea Change strategy are unrealistic have been rebuffed by Pacifica Shipping’s Rod Grout. He says since the mid-1990s the amount of freight moved around NZ by coastal shipping has increased significantly with the relaxation of regulations relating to cabotage. “The results speak for themselves.” Grout is confident this trend will continue and says the Forum has failed to take into account the impact concerns over climate change is and will have in the future when it comes to decisions on moving freight.
Research Done. Claims the target to boost coastal shipping’s market share to 30% from 15% has been set without any analysis of the freight market have also been questioned. Grout claims the Govt has already undertaken preliminary research into the freight market and how growth in the freight task can be met and this is the basis of the targets set. “The Govt does not set policies ie ‘let’s get more cargo off road and onto other modes’ unless there is a need for it.” Grout is also concerned about the potential of the NZ Freight Study to be hijacked by trucking companies refusing to provide any data on their freight operations. Grout, in addition, takes issue with the Forum’s claims only 7% of freight currently moved nation-wide is capable of being switched from road to rail or coastal shipping saying the proportion of contestable freight is considerably higher than claimed. He is doubtful of the impartiality of the report which came up with the figure, saying the Forum is only interested in research which supports the existing modal split. “They are just trying to maintain the status quo.”
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