Finnish Port Association CEO Matti Aura says that the new excess weight charge of EUR 180 on Russian trucks has already caused losses to the container traffic business through Finland to Russia.
In Aura’s view, as a result certain operators have already started re-routing their container traffic past Finland. The managing director fears that next also the container ships’ routes will be directed away from the Finnish ports. So far this has not happened yet.
What makes passing Finland easier is the fact that due to the economic downturn the volume of container traffic to St Petersburg has fallen. The city’s harbour has now the capacity to handle goods that were previously imported through other routes.
Aura calculates that for example from China a container travels to Europe for around EUR 800. In a Finnish port the container’s handling with all the fees costs around EUR 180. The new excess weight fee will thus double this figure.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications does not believe that the excess weight charge will affect the Russian transit traffic.
The decline in truck traffic figures stems from the general economic situation, not the excess weight charge, the Ministry says. The matter is meant to be discussed with the Russians next month.
Last Sunday Finland terminated a contract negotiated with the Russians, according to which both countries would allow articulated trailer lorries weighing no more than 42 tonnes to use the countries roads without an exceptional permit, which in Finland costs EUR 180.
The contract has proved unsatisfactory from the Finnish hailiers' point of view. Even if their vehicles with the goods and all remained below 42 tonnes in weight, Russia’s regulations concerning the highest permitted axle weights, which are lower than in Finland, still caused them problems.
In the Ministry’s view the contract has mainly benefited the Russian operators.
