Generating an Environmental Product Declaration involves a lot of work about the transport. Like already mentioned in this blog, transport is indeed an issue but transport over water seems to be more likely. Indeed, the following map shows what is possible in Europe.

The standard cellular glass like GLAPOR is a floating material, which is nevertheless 100% transported by trucks. In case more waterways should be used, transloading from truck to ship and ship to truck  is the big and expensive problem. In the past, this involves always an important structure along the river or canal.

But recently I learned that GRIFF drones are able to load and transport 200 kg, which is more than one typical pallet GLAPOR cellular glass. The drone can operate 30 minutes with one full battery. And now I dream about  barges, floating around Europe, each loaded with the equivalent of many trucks cellular glass. Trucks are waiting along the canal or river on a simple parking place and the barge captain unloads the barge with the help of drone. In principle, the barge does not even have to moor and an intelligent program calculates the best route for truck, ship and transloading.

A typical M8 ship measures 11 x 110 m  or more than 1000 m² loading surface. It can be easily loaded 6m high or about 6000m³ cellular glass, weighing 800 ton while the minimum load is 900 ton (we need to add extra load). Each barge can be seen as a warehouse, guarded by a typical barge crew, transporting ware the equivalent of about 100 trucks. The actual truck transport can be reduced from waterway to job site.

If transloading is indeed possible with the wild idea of drones, this option needs more attention for the transport of all thermal insulation.