17th World Congress on Road Winter Service, Resilience and Decarbonisation: Automagistral-Pivden – the Only Representative from Ukraine

Our company took part in the 17th World Congress on Road Winter Service, Resilience and Decarbonisation, which this year was held in Chambéry, France.

The event was organized by the World Road Association (PIARC) with the support of the Government of France. The Congress has been held every four years since 1969 and serves as the main platform for the exchange of experience among road sector professionals. This year, representatives from more than 60 countries participated in the event.

The main theme of this year’s Congress was “Ensuring Road Excellence in All Seasons.”

Key areas of presentations and knowledge exchange included:

-Winter road maintenance (innovative methods for combating ice and snow);

-Resilience (adapting road infrastructure to climate change);

-Decarbonisation (reducing the carbon footprint in the road sector).

Traditionally, the Congress also hosted the international snowplough competition.

“Today the entire world is facing rising energy costs, which is a critical issue for the road maintenance sector. This is why increasing attention is being paid to efficiency and cost optimisation. Big Data, artificial intelligence, various road data collection and analysis systems, and automated equipment management — it is already difficult to imagine road maintenance without these technologies. Our international colleagues are actively investing in digitalisation, enabling them to respond effectively to emergencies, avoid transport disruptions and at the same time optimise resource use. The rise in energy prices also makes the issue of decarbonisation even more relevant, which was one of the key topics at the Congress,” said Mykola Tymofieiev, CEO of Automagistral-Pivden.

How soon will such innovative practices be implemented in Ukraine?

In developed countries, road maintenance is financed through OPRC (Output and Performance-Based Road Contracts) — contracts where payment depends on achieved results and performance indicators. This approach encourages contractors to invest in integrated digital systems for data collection and processing, as well as automated technologies that, for example, regulate the dosage of de-icing materials during snowplough operations. In such contracts, payment is not linked to the amount of materials used or the distance travelled by specialised equipment. Instead, contractors are paid for the result — a road surface cleared of snow and ice.

In Ukraine, however, the implementation of international-standard contracts remains challenging due to chronic underfunding. During wartime, this situation is understandable.

Nevertheless, Automagistral-Pivden, as the largest national contractor responsible for maintaining 13,000 km of roads, consistently studies advanced international experience, explores new technologies, and engages with leading international experts.

The best global practices in winter road maintenance will certainly be gradually implemented in Ukraine in the future.