LINZER AGRO TRADE - transport of fertilizers at the Danube waterway
LINZER AGRO TRADE GmbH is one of Europe´s leading wholesalers for fertilizers. Around 1.2 million tons of fertilizers a year are produced at its headquarters in Linz. The main focus of the company´s business is the Danube region. Inland waterway transport is the best option for transporting the granulated fertilizers economically as bulk cargo. Its distribution network is also governed by this principle with almost all storage locations to be found along the Danube.
Around 700,000 tons of fertilizers a year are currently transported on the Danube waterway: about half of this is shipped via the Main-Danube Canal to Germany and France and the other half goes to the Central and South-Eastern European market.
The demand for fertilizers fluctuates greatly according to the season and is at its highest between the months of February and May. Transport must be carried out in advance and storage locations filled in order to cover demand.
Growth potential for the fertilizer industry is to be found primarily in the South-Eastern European states with their extensive areas of agricultural land. The demand for fertilizers is expected to rise hand-in-hand with the increasing of efficiency in the agricultural sector. This in turn will result in the need for new storage facilities along the Danube.
