FRACHT FWO
PROJECT CARGO LEADER
ANDRZEJ BUŁKA, Managing Director of Fracht FWO Polska Sp. z o.o.
Fracht FWO is one of the most renowned international transport companies specialising in the field of project cargo. Could you please explain to our readers what project cargo is? That's true, we are one of the leaders in project cargo. The term encompasses the logistics of industrial projects, in the broad sense – i.e. organising the transport of more or less technologically advanced constructions and devices whose weight or size exceed the transportation capacity of standard sea containers, unit-load devices or standard trailers. The freights entrusted with us within any one project amount to thousands of freight tonnes, but they are elements of various sizes and purposes. From spare parts to several-hundredtonne transformers, generators, tanks and turbines, whose transportation often requires the use of specialist vessels, cranes or heavy-load trailers. PM
What proportion of Fracht FWO Polska's activity is this sector? This field of our services constitutes about 25%, i.e. it generates about 10 million zlotys a year. We provide this type of service both to Polish factories exporting their products worldwide and to global companies supplying equipment for investment projects within Poland. An example of such services is the delivery of large components for the construction of power-generating units in Opole and Jaworzno. PM
What are the development prospects for project cargo on the transportation market in Poland? There is a steadily growing trend in the freight transport classed as project cargo; although its development prospects are dependent on several factors, such as the number and type of the investments. PM
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What does this mean, and what do we lack in transport infrastructure to handle project cargo comprehensively?
The development of linear as well as point infrastructure is vital. What I have in mind are particularly inland waterways and their accessibility. For instance, on the Oder waterway (Odrzańska Droga Wodna) there is only one inland port which facilitates the professional and safe reloading of heavy cargoes from a river barge to a railway wagon or specialist semi-trailer. On the Vistula River, in turn, there is not a single facility like that. Bearing in mind the production capabilities of the factories located in the basins of these two rivers, the aforementioned limitations in reloading, and the inability to navigate them most of the year, inhibit the full use of this transport branch. As a result a large chunk of project cargoes end up on Polish roads, where they are treated unfavourably because of the infrastructure. A number of roads have been brought into service recently, and the terms and conditions of their contractors' guarantee on new infrastructure do not allow the loads required. The inability to organise such transport legally can have an indirect impact on decisions on the location of new investments in Poland or on decisions as to whether to continue with the investments already existing. Does the fact that a transport company specialising in project cargo operates in Poland mean the involvement of its cooperating parties? What are the direct and indirect benefits for the Polish economy? Absolutely. We cooperate with a group of a few dozen companies providing road, inland, sea and air transport services, as well us with companies handling assembly, industrial packing and various types of reloading. High standards are set by our demanding clients. And, consequently, we are as good as our partners are. Therefore, the level of our services needs to be very high, and our partners carefully selected. Our work means added value for our clients, who include a number of key investors in the Polish • economy. PM
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