Mid-East haulage warning
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TRAFFIC will soon be back on the costly and time-consuming sea route to the Gulf unless hauliers are paid a sensible rate for trips to the Middle East, delegates to a conference on Middle East transport were warned by CM's editor, Mr lain Sherriff, this week.
"Shipping and forwarding agents should not become involved in bargain basement negotiations to the detriment of the haulier," he said.
"You should discuss the operation with the haulier and agree his rate before quoting a price to the exporter," he told 100 delegates from Europe and the Middle East.
After hearing speakers from the construction and development and ro-ro ferries industries praise the use of unaccompanied trailers, Mr Sherriff said: " I firmly believe there is no real substitute for accompanied road transport."
He went on to say that the haulage industry had been subjected to many difficulties in the past few years and unnecessary hazards on the roads to the Middle East.
He said that border delays could be reduced if customs posts were open 24 hours a day seven days a week. He suggested that many of the difficulties of crossing Turkey could be avoided if the Turkish officials obeyed their own rules and abolished many of the petty ones.
"The lessons learned by hauliers, drivers, and the officials of transit countries on the road to Iran should now be used to improve the efficiency of road transport services to other Middle East States," said Mr Sherriff.
The conference heard that many of the Middle East States were developing their roads in preference to the rail systems in these countries. Syria was the exception to this because it already has a system of cross-country routes.