Diesel and survival: the transport sector cries out at the 20th Congress in Gijón

The Spanish Confederation of Freight Transport (CETM) will hold its 20th National Congress of Transport Entrepreneurs from May 20 to 22 in Gijón, at the Luis Adaro Exhibition Centre.

The event comes at a particularly sensitive time for road transport, which is responsible for more than 95% of goods movement in Spain, and is conditioned by the evolution of diesel prices, which has become the main pressure factor on the economic viability of companies.

Under the motto “Transport in its rightful place”, the congress brings together nearly a thousand professionals with the aim of placing the sector at the centre of strategic debate, aligned with major international economic forums.

The gathering aims to analyse the challenges that will shape transport competitiveness in the coming years and to propose future solutions, in a context of growing uncertainty marked by energy and fiscal policies.

Among the main interventions on the programme is the opening lecture by an economist and former global vice-president of a large beverage multinational, who will address how to “Make good decisions in difficult times: economy, business and leadership”.

Also to be analysed is “The pulse of SMEs in Spain” by the president of the confederation of small and medium-sized enterprises, a crucial issue for a sector made up mostly of transport SMEs.

One of the central panels will be a face-to-face debate on “The future of transport policy”, with representatives from the National Transport Committee, the logistics employers’ association and the General Secretariat for Land Transport.

The debate will focus on regulatory framework, competitiveness and the role of transport as an essential link in the logistics chain, at a time when companies are demanding stability in the face of regulatory changes.

Other far-reaching conferences will address two current threats for hauliers: the working day of professional drivers, led by a professor of Labour Law, and cybersecurity, with an intervention warning that “your company will suffer a cyberattack”.

The agenda is completed by a round table on comprehensive risk management and cost control in insurance, explaining how to turn that expense into a competitive advantage.

The relevance of this 20th congress lies in the fact that road transport needs to be recognised as a strategic sector, especially in light of decisions that directly affect its operating costs.

In a scenario of unstoppable diesel price increases and environmental requirements, Spanish hauliers are looking to Gijón for a stable framework that guarantees their economic sustainability, digitalisation and ability to continue moving more than 95% of the country’s goods.