AGC Glass Europe

Transport by ship or rail causes less emissions of CO₂, NO_x¬, SO₂ and dust than transport by truck. An increasing proportion of our raw materials is transported by ship and train. Almost 65 % of all raw materials (including heavy fuel oil) is transported by ship or train (Fig.17), taking about 65,000 trucks per year off the road.

However, we still have to rely mainly on road transport for the finished products. Nevertheless efforts are being made to increase use of alternatives. In recent years, the quantity of glass shipped by train and barge has been around 30% higher than the level reached between 2000 and 2003.

With the help of our haulage contractor, in 2008 we completed development of a special platform in Belgium for loading the trailers directly onto rail to Italy. This platform was extended in 2009 to the Czech Republic. This avoided nearly 3300 trucks on the road to Italy and the Czech Republic this year, with a consequently large reduction in CO₂ emissions and traffic congestion.