Press Release

New research reveals that the UK shipping industry needs to promote itself better to British business and government

4 April 2007

92% of businesses surveyed ranked transport reliability as more important than transport costs (70%).    The survey also identified that the biggest barrier to using water freight was the speed of delivery and its effect on just-in-time practices.

The poll also identified that there is a perceived need for the water-freight industry to promote itself in order to increase awareness of the opportunities as part of an integrated transport system.

These are some of the key findings of a survey published today in a report entitled:  The Potential for Water Freight in the UK a Survey of Business Attitudes and Opinions, published by Sea and Water as part of a research project for the Department for Transport.

The research was carried out because of the need to establish the attitudes of shippers and the ship and barge operators towards using and supplying (respectively) water-borne transport in the logistics chain.

Dr Leggate, executive director, Sea and Water said: “the principal findings present an opportunity for the water-freight industry.  It is up to the water freight industry to convince the potential users of water freight that their deliveries using water transport can be achieved on time.”

“The survey also clearly reinforces one of Sea and Water’s beliefs that the water-freight industry must promote itself more effectively to business and industry.”

Sea and Water together with ICM conducted the survey in 2006 and the objectives were to determine:

• the (transport) mode preference in the logistics chain (in the UK);
• the factors that influence the choice of mode.
• To assess the importance of environmental and social considerations.
• To determine the perceived barriers to the use of water-freight transport;
• And the growth potential for water freight transport.

The survey polled 4,000 companies from different sectors targeting government, manufacturing, retail, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive, electronics, construction and shipping from around the whole of the UK. 

“Clearly more work needs to be done on the potential for a modal shift,” said Dr Leggate.

70% of the respondents stated that they had a positive attitude towards using water-freight as an environmentally-sustainable alternative to road.    5% (10 organisations) said that they actually used water transport to move their goods in the UK because of their environmental concerns.  

“There is a perception that water-freight transport is environmentally friendly and we must use it to appeal to corporate and social responsibility strategies,” said Dr Leggate.