Impacts of a High-Capacity Truck Transportation System on the Economy and Traffic Intensity of Pulpwood Supply in Southeast Finland

Sa？etak High-capacity transportation (HCT) of roundwood is a road transport concept that is currently being demonstrated in Finland and Sweden. In Finland, HCT trucks are in most cases unable to access roadside storages, but they are expected to bring cost savings in highway transportation between transshipment terminals and mill yards. Evaluating the optimal solutions is challenging due to the complexity of the transportation systems. This paper presents a dynamic simulation model, SimPulp, which was developed to generate information about the impacts of substituting HCT for a part of the present pulpwood transportation system. A case study in the area of the most intensive pulpwood use in Finland was conducted. The results indicate that HCT has potential for reducing transport costs and especially the traffic intensity of roundwood procurement in the studied area. The economic advantages of pulpwood HCT could be more significant in a larger area or in the use of inter-terminal backhauling