TRUCK NEWS on with i t a i c o s s in a
Massive oil laundering plant uncovered
01 862 0000 Container volumes on the rise
A massive oil laundering plant was recently uncovered in Co Monaghan, and reported to be one of the biggest ever finds in the country. A joint operation involving customs and gardai uncovered the plant at a scrapyard in Drumacon, near Castleblayney and just 100 yards from the border. The black market operation, which was able to process 20 million litres of fuel a year, was discovered in a scrapyard in Co Monaghan, about 100 yards from the border. Customs said it had the capacity to launder about 40,000 litres at a time and would have cost the Exchequer €11m a year in lost duty. Officers seized 37,000 litres of laundered fuel, about 200 bags of bleaching agent, two tankers and a van. A local man in his 40s was arrested.
Motoring cost accelerates by 20% A recent UK survey showed that the annual cost of motoring has risen by a staggering 20%. The study showed that the annual cost of running a car is 20% higher now than it was in April 2010. Sainsbury Finance conducted the survey, which attributes the huge cost increase mainly to spiralling fuel prices as well as the climb in insurance premiums and servicing charges. There has been a 22.9% rise in fuel costs, with a 3.7% average increase in insurance and a 5.4% increase in servicing costs. The figures paint a grim picture – one that is reflected across Ireland, where the daily cost of motoring is also rising at an astronomical rate.
Revenue truck hijacked in bandit country A customs vehicle carrying diesel laundering equipment was hijacked recently in South Armagh. The truck - transporting the diesel laundering equipment seized near Castleblayney the previous day- was hijacked and set on fire after accidentally crossing the border. Customs officers had raided and dismantled one of the biggest diesel laundering operations ever found in Ireland. One of the trucks transporting the equipment away from the site took a wrong turn and crossed the border into Northern Ireland. The off-course vehicle was quickly blocked by a gang of men and the driver fled. The trailer and tractor unit were set on fire by the gang, on the Castleblayney Road near Crossmaglen. Nobody was hurt in the incident, which the Revenue Commissioner has vowed to investigate fully.
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Container volumes are steadily growing at a slow rate as the market share improves and operators begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Ben Hackett, Founder of Hackett Associates, predicts trade to grow only in single digits this year, despite capacity increasing in double digits. “The carriers will be under considerable pressure as freight rates remain weak. One can certainly expect to see a return to laying up ships in the coming months. “The carriers will be under considerable pressure as freight rates remain weak. One can certainly expect to see a return to laying up ships in the coming months.”
Tailgating motorists to come under the radar Motorists who hide behind HGVs to avoid motorway tolls are finding that their number is up - literally. Over one hundred drivers are to be prosecuted after being caught tailgating on the M50 in an effort to avoid the €3 toll. They will appear in court in the coming months after being caught negotiating a treacherous manoeuvre to avoid detection. The offending motorists drove within four feet of heavy goods vehicles in an attempt to prevent their front number plates from being captured by cameras mounted above the motorway. And figures from motorway operator eFlow suggest that more than 70 drivers are caught on camera every day risking their lives by tailgating – down from an average of 208 in March! The crackdown began as Gardai mounted a covert campaign using unmarked cars to capture offenders. The 100 drivers due before the courts face the prospect of fines of up to €5,000 and five penalty points. In March, new cameras were fitted that capture the front and rear plates, meaning evading the toll is now practically impossible. While the rear-facing cameras have significantly decreased the level of offending, some people continue to tailgate trucks in a dangerous manner.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS