CLIMATE POLICY IN HEAVY TRANSPORT NEEDS MORE REALITY AND LESS SYMBOLISM

In the latest issue of Schwertransportmagazin / the BSK News, Andreas Kahl highlights the challenges of climate policy in the oversized and heavy transport sector and explains why practical transitional solutions are indispensable for the industry.

The direction is right: transformation, climate protection, alternative drive technologies, and lower emissions. However, in the field of oversized and heavy transport, a political vision alone is not enough. Anyone responsible for moving wind turbines, transformers, industrial equipment, grid components, and major infrastructure projects must take into account the realities of road, rail, and waterway transport.

One specific issue is the long-overdue approval of a 44-tonne gross vehicle weight for the 6-axle 3+3 combination used in permit-required oversized and heavy transport operations. This would not be a special privilege, but rather a reasonable adjustment for a highly specialized sector that is already critical to the functioning of society and remains essential for the energy transition, security of supply, and Germany’s industrial competitiveness.

The 3+3 combination, in particular, can distribute loads more efficiently, reduce axle loads, and simplify operational procedures. It can ease the burden on authorities, accelerate permit processes, and at the same time contribute to better protection of infrastructure.

If higher weight limits are being politically approved for zero-emission vehicles, there should at least be a temporary 44-tonne allowance for proven vehicle combinations in the oversized and heavy transport sector—serving as a transitional solution until emission-free technologies become widely available in this highly specialized field.

“Transformation does not succeed through symbolic politics. It succeeds when regulations align with practical reality.”

Anyone serious about climate protection must enable transitional solutions. Anyone seeking to protect infrastructure must distribute loads intelligently. Anyone committed to the energy transition must facilitate the transport operations it requires. And anyone who takes Germany’s position as an industrial hub seriously must not hinder the heavy transport industry.

SIMPLY. MOVING. MORE.
KAHL Group

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