Interessante post wel over de gevolgen van de brandstoftekorten
quote:
Translation:
The cargo will pay the price too
Fuel market problems begin to affect road freight
Disruptions in fuel supplies are beginning to impact the road freight market. Within Russia, the main difficulties are being observed in the south, while on routes to China daily mileage is declining, trips are becoming less frequent and less predictable, and waiting times at gas stations are now measured in days. Carriers have also been hit hard by the reduction or cancellation of fuel card discounts. Sole proprietors have been affected even more severely, as they have fallen under fuel purchase limits applied to private individuals. Market participants expect higher fuel costs to be passed on through freight rates and note that, for most customers, there is no alternative to road transport.
Carriers have started warning their customers about upcoming price increases amid fuel supply disruptions. "Today we received a notice from our fellow road carriers about tariff increases: starting July 1, they announced a minimum 10% increase," says Sigma co-founder Tatyana Patuzhnaya. "I assume this is not the limit."
VIG Trans founder Igor Rebelsky says domestic freight rates remain relatively stable for now, but the conditions for future increases have already formed.
"In certain regions, especially Siberia, southern Russia, and several border areas, fuel rationing and supply disruptions are being recorded, making route planning more difficult," he says. "The impact is even more pronounced in international and CIS transport: diesel prices have risen from 70-72 to 77-90 rubles per liter, and some carriers have already factored these additional costs into their rates, which have increased by about 5%."
Alexey Shpikelman, CEO of Byte Transit, says the difficulties are being felt in Crimea and other southern regions, where the fuel market--particularly diesel--is under pressure. Delivery times may increase in Krasnodar Krai and Crimea due to queues at gas stations, adds Vadim Filatov, co-owner and deputy director of PEC.
Georgy Vlastopulo, head of the logistics company Optimalog, says that in the Moscow region the rising cost of road freight has not yet become noticeable. However, over the past week and a half, truck transportation from China has become an average of $700 more expensive per trip due to higher fuel costs. The problem is particularly acute on the Zabaykalsk-Blagoveshchensk route and on transit through Mongolia. According to Vlastopulo, one major company has already switched to a route through Kazakhstan, where fuel quality is lower but supplies are sufficient.
AKFA Commercial Director Alexey Chernyshev says that on the China route, freight rates have increased by 50,000-70,000 rubles per truck over the past week of fuel disruptions, compared with the benchmark cost of 760,000-830,000 rubles to transport a truckload from Manzhouli to Moscow.
"The expected increase is another 200,000 rubles," he explains. "But that hasn't happened yet. First, fuel supply disruptions have not yet spread to Russia's Asian regions. Second, many large carriers have contracts with fuel companies covering volumes and prices. Third, some carriers quote prices in foreign currency, and the recent weakening of the ruble has partially offset higher fuel costs. And fourth, customers are not confirming shipments at the new rates--they're waiting for the situation to stabilize, and everyone still believes it will."
According to Vlastopulo, daily mileage on the China route has fallen from 600-700 km to around 500 km. Time lost waiting in fuel lines can also amount to an entire day. He expects transport distances to increase further and carriers to shift toward regions with better fuel availability, such as Kazakhstan. However, he notes that Kazakhstan has its own difficulties related to customs controls.
Overall, finding trucks for long-distance shipments across Russia has become more difficult, says Pontis Expedition CEO Andrey Zelinsky. Many fleet owners are refusing such orders because of uncertainty over fuel availability at gas stations.
"Carriers operating regionally now prefer jobs within urban agglomerations, traveling no more than 100-150 km," he says. NC Logistic confirms that many smaller companies operating on long-haul routes have adopted a wait-and-see approach, refusing to take long-distance trips due to uncertainty over the fuel situation. "They either refuse orders altogether or significantly increase freight rates," the company says. "As a result, rates on certain major routes have risen by an average of 10%." At the same time, the company notes that seasonal factors should also be taken into account: this is the period when shipments of vegetables, fruit, and melons increase, boosting demand for transport.
No discounts for the circumstances
Higher freight rates are being driven not only by rising fuel prices but also by the cancellation of fuel company bonus programs that previously allowed carriers to purchase fuel at discounted prices, says Andrey Zelinsky, who estimates the resulting increase in freight costs at 3-5%.
Previously, transport companies received discounts at gas stations that at times reached 16%, but these have now been reduced to around 3.5% and could disappear entirely in the near future, according to Alexey Shpikelman. "Under current conditions, all market participants are buying fuel at whatever price is posted on the day they refuel," Zelinsky notes.
Yulia Shlenskaya, president of the customs and logistics holding KBT, says international deliveries are already taking longer because drivers are searching for gas stations with available fuel and waiting in queues.
"Some are willing to stand in line, monitoring fuel availability through chat groups and apps. Others are willing to pay more to refuel immediately," she says. "Carriers will likely have to switch to more expensive fuel, otherwise operations will simply come to a halt. Naturally, freight costs will rise as well."
The fuel crisis may force some smaller carriers out of the market, Vlastopulo adds. Large companies can fill their tanks with up to 200 liters using fuel cards, while small operators (sole proprietors) are limited to just 60 liters, the same limit applied to private individuals.
Vadim Filatov notes that as of June 26, the frequency of refueling for trucks had increased by 1.5 to 3 times compared with the same period the previous week.
"As a result, carriers have faced higher costs, increased vehicle mileage, and more downtime while waiting at gas stations," he says. Since fuel accounts for around 30% of road freight operating costs, if fuel prices rise by 10% across Russia, the cost of long-haul intercity transport could increase by around 3%, Filatov estimates.
According to Transsertiko CEO Alexander Sobolev, if the situation is not resolved in the coming weeks, all carriers will begin raising prices. Most trucking companies are already "on the brink of survival," while optimizing routes and building fuel reserves require significant long-term investments, he says.
A container cannot replace a truck
A significant shift of cargo to rail transport is unlikely, says Igor Rebelsky, because trucking remains superior in terms of flexibility and delivery speed. The exception may be certain long-distance routes, such as shipments from the Russian Far East to the European part of Russia, where railways could partially absorb the additional demand.
According to Alexey Chernyshev, until recently the market was in a unique situation where the cost of trucking, calculated per cubic meter of cargo, was comparable to container shipping once all door-to-door expenses were included, while trucking was twice as fast.
If prices continue to rise, he believes low-value cargoes--those most sensitive to logistics costs--will once again shift to rail. However, most customers will continue choosing road transport, especially as China is expected to face a shortage of empty containers and logistics costs have been rising for several months.
"There are simply no alternatives," says Yulia Shlenskaya. "The entire transport industry is facing the same problem, so cargo has nowhere else to go--there is no safe haven." She jokes: "Electric scooters and couriers on foot--that's the only alternative."
Natalya Skorlygina