ESTA has presented a 2025 ‘Gino Koster special award’ to the Verbändeinitiative Grossraum und Schwertransporte (VI-GST) from Germany, a pan-industry grouping that has successfully lobbied the German government to make a series of improvements to the country’s heavy and abnormal transport regulations.
The award was presented at the climax of the 2025 ESTA Awards dinner held during the Bauma exhibition in Munich.
It was accepted on behalf of VI-GST by Peter Guttenberger, honorary chairman of the German construction and engineering association VDBUM, and Marvin-Uwe Marek, lawyer for steel construction association Bauforumstahl.
Over 20 organisations from all sectors of industry – including ESTA – have joined VI-GST which was created in January 2023 in response to the problems with permits for heavy and abnormal transports in Germany and with the aim of safeguarding and supporting the country’s industry.
Following detailed consultations with the German Ministry of Transport, a large number of improvements have been made to the German abnormal transport permitting and enforcement process.
The Gino Koster award was originally established by the ESTA Board of Directors in honour of our former secretary who died in 2009. It is not presented every year but is given to a person, initiative or organisation that has made a particularly valuable contribution to the promotion of efficiency and safety in the abnormal transport or heavy lift sector.
ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “The VI-GST initiative was launched and driven forward by industry in Germany, but will benefit Europe as a whole.
“The ESTA Board particularly appreciates the fact that it has succeeded in influencing and changing the policy of the German Federal Government on a voluntary basis and through joint consultations with all stakeholders involved.
“From ESTA’s point of view, this is a project that other countries could learn from. We are delighted to acknowledge the great work carried out by VI-GST to date and we look forward to continuing this excellent progress in the future.”
Further details of the agreed amendments to Germany’s heavy and abnormal transport regulations are contained in the news story here https://estaeurope.eu/news/germany-amends-rules-on-heavy-transport-following-industry-pressure/