1. International Road Transport Union (IRU)
Meeting of Ministers of Transport of countries in the Euro-Asian Region
Palais des Nations, Geneva, 19 February 2008
Janusz Lacny
President
International Road Transport Union (IRU)
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

2. UNECE 60 years
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

3. IRU – 60 years of Public-Private Partnership
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

4. Evolution of IRU Membership
Members 72 Countries
Created 1948
8 Founder States:
Belgium
Denmark
France
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden UK
Switzerland
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

5. The combined efforts of 29 companies in 18 countries
What is Globalisation?
What does it take to have a cup of coffee in a café?
The combined efforts of
29 companies in 18 countries
Road transport has become
a vital production tool!
Source: IRU
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

6. Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1971
The container movements in the main ports started with the birth of world containerisation in the 1970s.
In the 1970s, it was a high number of ports linked with a high number of small container vessels.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

7. Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1980
In the 1980s, there were bigger vessels and only five ports were emerging – New York and Rotterdam were the biggest. Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore were emerging.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

8. Evolution of sea containers in ports in 1990
In the 1990s the same trend continued.
The huge growth in Asian trade was and remains by the Pacific route to California.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

9. Evolution of sea containers in ports in 2000
In 2000, due to globalisation, the same trend continued at an even higher speed, mainly in the Asian ports.
The Asian ports, due to the lack of road infrastructure, exploded in volume.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

10. Evolution of sea containers in ports in 2006
The 2006 situation shows clearly why we have such massive congestion in all the main ports. The concentration of trade in a few ports generates not only bottlenecks, congestion and delays but above all additional costs!
This concentration of 80% of world trade in very few ports also creates a desertification of trade development in numerous regions that most require economic, social and political stability.
Our dream is to create, with road transport, peace and prosperity not only in a handful of ports, but in all the other regions.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

11. Interconnecting all the businesses along the reopened Silk Road
To CIS
To EU
To US
To US
To Mid East
By doing so, we are not only transporting goods from China to the States, but we are interconnecting all the businesses along the 8,000 mile Silk Road, thus realising new business opportunities.
In fact, by “looking West, young man”, you will also find your Middle Eastern markets, and we can interconnect all those businesses along that Middle East route, you can find your EU markets, and we can interconnect all the businesses along the EU route, you can find the CIS markets and we can interconnect all those businesses along the CIS route.
*****
A truck is not a boat, it is not a train, it is not a plane. Truck service is not concentrated in a handful of ports. A truck is always, everywhere, at the disposal of everyone. Thus, “looking West”, you could find fabulous new business opportunities.
Remember, a truck provides door-to-door service. A truck is therefore the best tool to unite people and to improve the distribution of wealth.
You might be looking at me and saying, “Martin, you’re crazy!”
But I say to you again, “wake up and smell the coffee, my dream has become reality.”
25% of world trade with neighbours sharing common border
50% of world trade between partners less than 3,000 km apart
Trade between Canadian provinces 22 times greater than trade between a Canadian province and US state of similar size and distance
Sea transport
Land transport
Key:
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

12. Road transport tonnage distances in Europe
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

13. It worked for Marco Polo
If the Silk Road worked for Marco Polo then, why shouldn’t it work for trade and transport today?
… I had a dream to reopen the ancient Silk Road, which has been closed despite modern transport technology for 700 years
The Silk Road was closed firstly because sea transport was more competitive and less risky, secondly for political reasons, and thirdly because of ignorance.
Today, I am here to make you “wake up and smell the coffee” or as Marco Polo said, “wake up and smell the espresso”
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

14. Beijing Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference and Ministerial Meeting, 26-27 September 2005
Visit of high-level governmental representatives, under the leadership of the IRU Secretary General, to Ju Huang, Deputy Prime Minister of the PRC.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

15. Silk Road Feasibility Study
The feasibility of my dream is also proved by the recent US Chamber of Commerce’s study on the “land transport options between Europe and Asia” just published.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

16. Road transport is already feasible!
This study clearly demonstrated that, without spending one additional penny on infrastructure, we can ship by road Chinese containers to any major market, under highly competitive time and cost conditions.
As mentioned in this study, the current price and time could be enormously reduced by the implementation of existing trade facilitation instruments.
For this, as explained by Mr Danet, the World Customs Organisation is playing a leadership role.
To conclude, as demonstrated, the realisation of this dream can be very beneficial for you and your business.
I leave you tonight with two options.
Source: Ramboll, Land Transport Options between Europe and Asia:
Commercial Feasibility Study
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

17. 21 Ministers signing Declaration of the 4th Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

18. UNESCAP-IRU Asian Highway Truck Caravan
Join us
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19. IRU World Congress 2008: Istanbul
15 – 16 May 2008
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

20. 5th Euro-Asia Conference: Almaty
11-12 June 2009!
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008

21. Help me to help you!
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2008