Eleven leading European companies have said they will join ESTA’s discussions about how to create a Europe-wide system of training for SPMT operators.
Concern has been growing in the industry at the lack of recognised training qualifications and the need to improve safety standards as the SPMT market grows.
As a result, ESTA set up a special working group to agree the scope of the project which will also discuss updating ESTA’s 2016 SPMT Best Practice Guide to include expanded information on trailer maintenance and operator training.
Those involved to date come from eight different countries, reflecting the widespread concern across Europe. They are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and the UK.
ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “It has been increasingly clear that SPMT training and operational standards need to be improved, both for reasons of project management efficiency as well as safety.”
ESTA’s well-received best practice guide for the use of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMT) was first published in 2016 and was translated into six languages to meet demand from across Europe.
The guide was originally intended to help address the problem of trailers occasionally tipping over, even though the existing operating rules and stability calculations had been followed.
The first edition of the guide is still available for free download from ESTA’s website in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish.
To download the first edition of the SPMT best practice guide, go here https://estaeurope.eu/best-practice-guide-for-self-propelled-modular-transporters-spmt/
The full list of companies involved in the current discussions is as follows: Collett, Cometto, DNV, Fagioli, Mammoet, Sarens, Siemens Gamesa, Technip Energies, Terra Navtica, Tii Group and Wagenborg.