Transporting dangerous goods with holistic logistics solutions

Transporting dangerous goods is one of the key challenges in the global logistics and transport sector. These special goods, which pose a significant risk to people, the environment and property due to their chemical, physical or biological properties, require us to observe particularly strict safety precautions. In addition to transporting dangerous goods, we also routinely carry out the proper storage and safe handling of these materials in ports, hazardous material warehouses and Rhenus hubs. From easily flammable materials to toxic chemicals, acids, and alkalis– the safe handling, packaging, storage, and transshipment of these materials are regulated by national and international regulations such as the ADR, IMDG and IATA. By carefully planning and executing these processes, we help to prevent accidents and ensure public safety.

The safe transport of hazardous goods by road is a complex matter, requiring specialized vehicles, trained personnel, and strict compliance with legal regulations. Depending on the type of hazardous goods (e.g. chemicals, alkalis, batteries, and hazardous waste), different types of truck are used, such as tanker vehicles, silo and bulk goods vehicles, container, or closed bodied vehicles. In addition to full ADR transport, our services also include shipments under the limited quantities (LQ) and excepted quantities (EQ) provisions of ADR. The quality of these services is verified by SQAS (Safety & Quality Assessment for Sustainability). Our own hazardous goods officers are responsible for training employees and ensuring compliance with national and international guidelines. To ensure safety, our truck drivers have the necessary certification for ADR transport.

Combining warehousing and transport offers numerous technical advantages. Efficient risk management that encompasses both areas increases safety, reliability, speed to market and cost utilization. Hazardous-goods-specific packaging and labelling, as well as the direct transfer of goods from storage to the transportation network, for example via consolidated cargo terminals, enable faster and smoother processes. The use of LNG trucks on many short-haul routes also reduces CO₂ emissions. A holistic approach to logistics creates transparent supply chains and makes it easier to respond flexibly to unforeseen events.

The Rhenus Group is increasingly investing in state-of-the-art and innovative hazardous material warehouses. All warehouses meet high safety standards and are equipped with, among other things, fire alarm systems, special gas warning and air circulation systems, foam sprinklers and CO₂ extinguishing systems with real-time incident reporting. It also gives real-time inventory levels reporting that helps to maintain accuracy and prevent errors.