Transporeon and Capgemini Consulting have prepared the thirty-fifth edition of the Transport Market Monitor (TMM) magazine, which presents the dynamics of the European transport market. After a seasonal recovery at the beginning of 2018, transport capacity has been decreasing again since March.
Key points of the report:
• In Q1 2018, the transport capacity index increased by 53.3% compared to the previous quarter, reaching a level of 110.1. Compared to Q1 2017, this index is 2.4% lower.
• The price index in Q1 2018 was 92.1, which means a 14.7% decrease compared to the previous quarter (107.9). Looking at the data from Q1 2017, the price index in the corresponding period of this year increased by 7.1%.
• In relation to the previous quarter, the diesel price index increased by 3%. At the same time, it is 3% higher than the index recorded in Q1 2017.
• The European trade flow index is expected to increase by 18.3% in Q1 2018.
– Despite the expected increase in European trade volume, the transport capacity index reached a record level of 131.9 in February 2018. However, compared to the first quarter of last year, in the corresponding period of this year
transport costs have increased by more than 7%. This may be directly influenced by the deepening fuel shortage and an insufficient number of available drivers in Europe, as well as the expected increase in their wages. We predict that transport costs will continue to rise throughout the year – notes Lars Vitters, Supply Chain Manager at Capgemini.
– After a seasonal increase in transport capacity at the beginning of the year, freight forwarders had significantly less loading space available again in March. Transport prices in Q1 2018 were 7% higher than last year’s. Service providers therefore expect that transport capacity will decrease again during the year, as was the case in 2017. These assumptions are also confirmed by our latest internal data and reports from the European Commission, which continues to forecast dynamic economic growth in Europe – adds Oliver Kahrs, Director of Business Development at Transporeon.
More information about the Transport Market Monitor can be found at: http://www.transportmarketmonitor.com.