CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > November 2021 35 ESTA: 2 Tadano and Manitowoc become ECOL Training Centres Work to Start on Crane CO2 Calculator Crane manufacturers Tadano and Manitowoc are the latest organisations to complete the process of becoming approved European Crane Operators Licence (ECOL) training centres and are expected to start their first ECOL courses soon. Four ECOL training centres have already been approved - EUC Lillebælt in Denmark; Liebherr Werk Ehingen in Germany; Mammoet Academy in the Netherlands; and Sarens Academy in Belgium. In a further development, the online examination system for ESTA’s ECOL project is now up and running in four languages - English, Dutch, Danish and German - and work is underway on a Spanish version. ESTA is to start work on the development of a CO2 calculation tool that will allowmembers and supporters to calculate the CO2 production of a specified crane when executing a project including the work involved inmobilisation and demobilisation. The decision was taken at September’smeeting of the ESTA Board. “The production of CO2 by all kinds of machinery is an important topic at the moment all over the EU,” said ESTA Director Ton Klijn. “It is already often a requirement to compare the CO2 output of the various operational options of executing a project. Hence, crane operating companies need to have a method of calculating their CO2 production when quoting for a project.” ESTA Welcomes European Commission Plans to Increase Safe Parking Areas ESTA has welcomed the European Commission´s launch of a call for proposals to access €100 million in funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to improve the network of safe and secure truck parking areas (SSTPAs) across the European Union. There are currently only 300,000 truck parking spaces available in the EU - an estimated significant shortfall of 100,000 spaces to meet demand. What is more only 7,000 spaces, or less the 3 per cent, are in certified safe and secure areas. ESTA and many EU road transport organisations have long called for additional support to improve conditions in the sector. The deadline for the European Commission’s call for proposals is January 19, 2022. ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “Provided the site development is addressed with some attention to the needs of abnormal transport, this initiative could make a huge difference for drivers and operators in the coming years.” ESTA believes that increasing the number of safe and secure parking areas is essential to help make the sector more attractive to young people. Call for Nominations as President Prepares to Stand Down ESTA is calling for nominations from itsmembers to replace its popular President David Collett who is standing down at the organisation’s next General Assemblymeeting in April 2022. Collett, who represents the UK’s Heavy Transport Association and is Managing Director of Halifax- headquartered company Collett Group, will have served three terms as president by next April, the maximum allowed under ESTA’s constitution. He told ESTA’s General Assembly meeting in October: “It has been a great privilege to serve as President. It has been great fun, tremendously rewarding, you learn a lot - and as President you receive excellent back-up from the ESTA office. To anyone thinking of standing, I recommend it.” ESTA - the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes For more information about ESTA and the organisation’s work and campaigns, please go to www.estaeurope.eu or contact the ESTA Office by email at officemanager@esateuroppe.eu . UKmembers of ESTA are the CPA and the Heavy Transport Association.