The Minister of Mobility and Digital Transformation, Jose Luis Sanz Merino, stressed “the key element of competitiveness, productivity and profitability” of the logistics sector to praise the “enormous potential” of a profession that must be promoted to make it known to young people, because it is a “dignified, attractive and stable activity”. “Professional and economic security and a professional future in development”, he stressed.
This is how Sanz Merino expressed himself during his participation in the closing of the XLVII General Assembly of the Spanish Association of Temperature-Controlled Transport Entrepreneurs (ATFRIE)which took place at the Monastery of Valbuena, in Valladolid, which made it clear that the Junta de Castilla y León “will always support measures that promote the training of drivers.”
He also stressed that the logistics sector is a traditionally male professional field, which is why it is necessary to “advance parity and give visibility to the role of women in transport”. Another “great development” is that of sustainable mobility and the reduction of emissions in transport with the incorporation of tools that contribute to reducing the carbon footprint, with “energy efficiency as the main lever of competitiveness and social responsibility of this objective”.
To this end, he indicated that “concrete measures” are being taken, such as the implementation of advanced energy management systemsthe modernization of fleets towards zero-emission vehicles, the adoption of new energy sources or the importance of transferring goods from road to rail to reduce CO2 emissions.
“The Council’s support for the transport and logistics sector is, in our view, framed by facts and by programmes such as the digitalization helpline freight and passenger transport companies supported by Next Generation funds, digital documentation in transport and the digitalisation of internal company processes. These aids have contributed to “increasing the efficiency of companies and the transport system through digitalisation, sustainability, connectivity, system renewal and the introduction of new technologies in the sector”, he stressed.
Atlantic Corridor
Sanz Merino recalled that the proximity of Castilla y León with the Atlantic and Cantabrian ports They make the Community an “area of influence” of these ports, thus valuing multimodal transport with road and rail, which is combined with the “strategic position” of transit zone and with the north, center and south of Spain, therefore with the “main facts of connection with Portugal and the rest of Europe.”
“From the leadership of Castilla y León, we are firmly committed to the atlantic corridorbecause it crosses Castilla y León and connects us to Portugal and Europe. The Ministry of Transport cannot turn its back on this project and we hope that it will do so. And it cannot, as I said, let slip the opportunity that this corridor represents for us as a boost for this territory, given that it constitutes the backbone of the economic cohesion of the nine provinces that make up the largest region in Spain,” the councilor stressed.
That is why he stressed that it is necessary to know the next actions, both in terms of deadlines and budgets and investments of the Spanish government in this regard, since “there is a certain delay in relation to the Mediterranean Corridor, which must be mitigated in the medium term.” In addition, he announced that in a short space of time, accompanying this petition and request, the Junta de Castilla y León will present the Castilla y León logistics strategy for the period 2024-2030, in parallel with the organization of the transport and logistics sector for the “promotion and improvement of transport infrastructure”.
