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

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.