The Netherlands and Belgium blanketed in snow under code orange, with more to come

The Netherlands and Belgium are seeing white, while the code colours turn orange. Winter weather continues to grip the countries today, for the sixth day in a row. In the Netherlands, the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management has issued a work-from-home recommendation, NS is operating according to a winter timetable, and there are more traffic jams than usual. Delivering to customers across the country is, therefore, challenging under the current conditions. Nevertheless, according to director Jarno Kwakkel of Postuma AGF, operations are still running reasonably well, even though conditions are far from easy.

"Fortunately, we have not suffered any damage so far, which is a big compliment to our drivers. Everything simply takes longer, both getting from A to B and unloading. As a result, we arrive later than usual with our customers, and trading activity here is also later than normal. That means we are putting in extra hours together, especially in relation to the turnover we are currently generating," Jarno says.

"We also see that quite a few market customers are completely absent this week because of the weather conditions. So it is challenging, but fortunately, it hardly ever happens. It is just a matter of holding on a little longer, and then we will get through it."

Belgium hit overnight
In Belgium, winter really made its presence felt overnight. Some snow had fallen earlier, but not to the extent already seen in the Netherlands. On Tuesday, Dennis Van de Perre of Fresh Connection saw the country caught off guard by snowfall. "In the morning, we did have snowfall, actually quite unexpectedly, because it was not forecast. As a result, several terminals were temporarily closed," Dennis Van de Perre of the logistics provider said.

"If you look at the situation in Belgium, the main roads are generally reasonably well gritted and passable. However, as soon as you move onto secondary or smaller roads, problems arise very quickly. As a result, there was real chaos here for a while in the morning. It was not until around ten o'clock that the snowploughs and gritting services came through. From that point on, the situation improved noticeably, and things could slowly start up again."

Chaotic
A day later, the situation turned out slightly different, as Belgium also woke up this morning under a thick layer of snow. "The situation is particularly chaotic at the moment. In the Netherlands, it was already a drama yesterday, but in Belgium, the snowfall mainly started early this morning. During the night, everything still ran relatively smoothly, but as soon as traffic increased, the situation quickly became congested. At the moment, traffic is moving at a walking pace almost everywhere, and vehicles are regularly at a complete standstill," explains Robin De Soete of haulier DSR Logistics.

"For freight traffic, this means it is very difficult to reach destinations. Our trucks are being heavily delayed, and trip planning has become complicated. Since Monday, we have also gone live with a new TMS system, Qargo, which makes everything just that bit more difficult. We try to inform our customers as clearly as possible, but it is not easy because circumstances are constantly changing. The information we receive ourselves is often already outdated by the time we pass it on. One advantage, however, is that retailers were largely supplied during the past few nights. As a result, pressure is now mainly on smaller deliveries and wholesalers. That does not necessarily make the situation any easier and is just as frustrating for them, of course, but in a slightly different way."

Being flexible and communicating
The company also operates many routes to France, where disruptions have already been felt. "There are also major challenges in traffic towards France. Many trucks are being pulled over there, especially on routes towards early markets. This creates additional congestion and uncertainty in international transport. Despite these circumstances, we managed to carry out many of the planned trips yesterday. By finding alternative routes and remaining flexible with schedules, we were able to keep going. For example, yesterday we had ten trucks en route to Paris. Eight of them had to unload in the Paris region, and all completed their deliveries before five in the morning. The two trucks with destinations further beyond Paris were able to unload later in the morning. In this way, we reached all destinations, although I hear from colleagues in the sector that this is far from the case for everyone."

As for how long the situation will last, Robin does not dare to make predictions. "These weather conditions are expected to continue for a few more days, and we are taking that into account in our planning. However, the current circumstances make it impossible to communicate reliable arrival times. Everything is extremely slow. Just this morning, for instance, I had a truck stuck in front of a bridge because it could not be opened. In such cases, there is no alternative, and sometimes the vehicle even has to be towed. That underlines just how disruptive the situation is right now."

Non-professional traffic off the road
"For the coming days, we will try to manage as best we can by continuously planning, adjusting, and communicating. We are doing everything possible to optimise deliveries and ensure customers still receive their goods. It is especially important for retail that deliveries continue, as they expect continuity. That is why we focus strongly on night runs and early-morning deliveries, when there is less traffic on the roads and conditions are usually slightly more manageable. At the same time, it would help if non-essential traffic stayed off the roads as much as possible. People who have the option to work from home should do so. That way, space remains available for professional transport and the logistics process, however slow and difficult, can continue to function."