No, we don’t have women drivers, but we would love to. Still, it’s no coincidence that 100% of the women who are part of Rios Sangiao work in administration, quality control, logistics coordination, and other roles that are always within the office environment.

We start from the fact that the transport sector has traditionally been a male‑dominated world, and the of food liquid transport is no exception.

A lot of work has been done to get to where we are today, to the point where it no longer feels strange to think that a woman is just as capable as a man of performing the job of driving any of our regular services. Fortunately, no one today would dare to think otherwise… right?

But this is not really the problem nowadays. Well, maybe a little… it’s possible that there are still a few stragglers — men or even women (OMG) — who doubt a woman’s ability to handle 44 tonnes of liquid food. In our company, that’s certainly not the case.

The real issue we see when it comes to achieving gender parity in driving positions is a structural one, and we fear it is far from being solved: social gender roles.

The job is demanding — no doubt about it — because it involves full days behind the wheel and often requires several days away from home. This applies to our transport routes within Spain and our international routes across Europe (we operate in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, and the Netherlands).

We also have shorter routes for daily milk collection, which start and end on the same day, but the challenge there lies in the very early hours required to collect the milk so that the distribution chain doesn’t stop.

The issue we’re referring to is that it is “accepted” for a man to be away from home for days, but not so much for a woman. In the same way, family caregiving roles (whether for older adults or children) are often assigned to women “by default.” A fairer distribution of these caregiving responsibilities would lead to greater gender equality in roles like the ones we’re discussing.

We may already accept (or at least be on the right path toward accepting) the need for real equality between men and women, but unfortunately we still have a long way to go within the family sphere.

So, kudos to those couples who openly discuss how to divide household and caregiving tasks and who don’t assume that these responsibilities automatically fall on women.

Until then — and beyond, because there are still many areas where gender equality needs progress — March 8th will continue to be a day of social advocacy and celebration, a day to challenge customs that have been in place forever but are not necessarily better for it.

In the food liquid transport sector, cleaning all elements that come into contact with liquids is a matter of absolute priority.

The health and quality standards we apply at Rios Sangiao exceed regulations to ensure and guarantee the maximum preservation of any food liquid we transport.

Our processes include the washing of tanks, which is carried out in specific washing stations that meet certain requirements according to the washing needs.

The washing process for our isothermal tanks

The washing we carry out in our isothermal tanks follows EFTCO protocols, which is the international association that includes 630 cleaning points in more than 25 countries in the European Union and whose objectives are to standardise reliable and environmentally friendly cleaning services. EFTCO cooperates with European federations such as the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), the European Chemical Transport Association (ECTA) and the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO).

The EFTCO Cleaning Document (ECD) was launched over 25 years ago, withmore than 4 million documents completed annually at present. This makes the ECD the most recognised and number one cleaning document in Europe, with growing global expansion. The EFTCO Cleaning Document (ECD) is a
supporting document for each tank cleaning within the supply chain process. It certifies which cleaning steps have been carried out.

First, a cleaning order is generated in written format with all the necessary details to prevent damage to equipment, accidents and unsatisfactory service performance. This order includes information such as:

• Clear identification of the equipment
• Time of arrival
• Last product — accompanied by the safety data sheet, especially
  if the product is unknown to the cleaning station
• Information on any known amount of residue
• Type of lining or coating
• Information about known damage to the coating or
  covering
• Detailed cleaning instructions
• Indication of necessary and possible inspections after cleaning
• Special documentation requirements

It is the responsibility of cleaning stations to comply with all specific requirements for cleaning coated and lined tanks and to notify if they are unable to fully comply with the requirements.

Depending on the type of products transported, we establish washing requirements that include:

• pressure
• temperature
• use of cleaning solvents
• instructions to prevent damage to coated or lined neck rings

Depending on the type of coating on the cistern, the water must not exceed a certain temperature, pressure, jet direction and pressure.

It is common for customers to add specific requirements according to their particular needs.

Once cleaning has been carried out, an inspection is performed to verify the process, and the tank will be declared clean when there are no visible traces of the last product or cleaning agent after inspection from the filling ports. Entry into the tank is avoided to minimise the risk of external contamination.

Once the washing and drying process has been completed, where applicable, the washing is certified in order to ensure traceability of the processes applied in the isothermal tank and to provide supporting documentation for the application of all processes required by Rios Sangiao or the customer.

As we mentioned in mid-January, the editorial team at transporte3.com magazine chose our director Brais Sangiao to be part of the jury for the Best Truck of the Year in Spain 2026 and Fifth Wheel: Tanker of the Year 2026 awards. Today we interview him to find out more about these awards:

After several years attending this event, what has the experience been like as a jury member?

Well, the experience hasn't really changed that much because the vote is cast in advance and before a notary in a sealed envelope, so by the time we arrive at the awards ceremony, everything has already been counted and decided; but even so, the members of the jury don't know who the winners will be
because we don't know how the other members of the jury have voted.

In any case, attending as a jury member has been a source of pride for Rios Sangiao, as we were selected by transporte3.com magazine as specialists and leaders in our sector with the capacity and criteria to decide on the Truck of the Year and Tanker of the Year categories.

Was it difficult to choose the winners? Yes and no. I knew right from the start which one

Yes and no. I knew right from the start which one would be Truck of the Year, but choosing Tanker of the Year was extremely difficult. Parcisa and Farcinox presented extraordinary models with major advances in sustainability and technology respectively, which made the choice very close and extremely complicated. In fact, at Rios Sangiao we are aware of the high quality of these manufacturers and our fleet consists of isothermal tankers from both brands.

What aspects were most highly valued when casting the votes?

Clearly, innovation. As mentioned above, Parcisa presented innovations in sustainability with more environmentally friendly materials and isothermal tanks equipped with solar panels for self-consumption. Farcinox, for its part, focused on technological innovation with assisted manoeuvrability systems with 360º vision in the vehicle's area of influence. These are examples of excellent R&D work by these two manufacturers.

So, can we find out who the winners are?

Yes, of course. MAN Trucks was the winner of Truck of the Year, and Farcinox won in the isothermal tankers category. All the awards in all categories were presented at the gala.

What is the ceremony like? Is it a meeting place for the sector?

Of course it is. The awards ceremony was held in a hotel in central Madrid and a total of around three hundred people linked to transport attended, most of whom we already know, and there was a friendly atmosphere in which we took the opportunity to talk about the situation in the sector, the challenges we
face and the difficulties we encounter on a daily basis. These are very enjoyable moments of fellowship between colleagues.

As for the gala itself, although there are many awards in many categories and it lasts almost three hours, it is very enjoyable and dynamic.

What would you say are the challenges facing the sector that were most discussed at this event?

Clearly, the additional costs involved in increasing the weight limit to fortyfour tonnes, combined with the additional costs across all supply chains in the sector, are a common denominator in all areas of transport, regardless of whether it involves the transport of liquid foodstuffs, chemicals, aggregates, etc.

So, is this not a good time for the sector?

Yes, it is. We have a very heavy workload and demand, but we have to manage it very efficiently because costs are rising and could compromise profitability. If this happens, it could be a big problem.

Will there be other similar events throughout the year that bring together the transport sector and that Rios Sangiao will attend?

Indeed, throughout the year there are various trade fairs related to the sector that we usually attend to meet with customers, suppliers and partner companies.

We are in contact.

Although these are essential questions in journalism, they are also essential in traceability, which ultimately ensures a documented, implemented and maintained system that allows any transport service and goods under control to be identified and reconstructed, including mass/quantity balance, in ompliance with IFS Logistics v3 (4.4) and customer requirements.

This traceability applies to all bulk liquid food transport services provided by Rios Sangiao. It includes the management of service documentation (loading orders, CMR/waybill, loading/unloading data, product, quantity, tank/compartment, cleaning and washing certificates, incidents, seals where applicable) and the ability to retrieve, as a minimum, the three previous loads per compartment and the cleaning history, as well as the location of the equipment during the journey via GPS or telephone.

All documentation and records of a service, whether on paper or in electronic format, are fully traceable and allow the service to be reconstructed within a maximum target time of 4 hours, including mass quantity balance, in line with IFS Logistics.

The areas of traceability in which intervention takes place are:

Management

• Ensures resources and means for the traceability system (tools, files, access to information, training).
• Approves the procedure and reviews relevant test results/anomalies.

Quality Manager

• Maintains the procedure and formats (F-12.1 and F-12.2).
• Coordinates the annual traceability test and records results, including time spent (maximum time target of 4 hours).
• Manages related incidents/NCs using P-03.

Traffic/Operations

• Ensures that each service has a complete file (loading order, CMR, certificates, etc.).
• Ensures vehicle/equipment identification and linking to the service.

Drivers

• Complete and deliver service documentation as instructed (CMR/waybill, incidents, seals where applicable).
• They report any incidents during loading/transport/unloading.

Administration

• Files the service record and ensures its quick retrieval in case of subsequent consultation.

The traceability system is linked not only to the load, but also to the vehicle, establishing a history of journeys, loads, unloads and cleaning of isothermal tanks through certifications at production plants and washing facilities approved by default under EFTCO protocols or, failing that, those determined by the customer for this purpose.

The vehicle traceability file must include at least the following:

• Loading order/order and customer requirements (washing, seals, etc.).
• CMR/waybill and loading/unloading documentation.
• Product and quantity (loaded and unloaded) and, where applicable, measurement reading/record.
• Identification of transport equipment (tractor/tanker/compartments) and driver.
• Washing certificate(s) and/or cleaning records; history of previous loads per compartment.
• Incidents and actions (P-03) and tracking/location evidence where applicable.

At the customer's request, this file may also include records of seals on openings, valves or specific points. The seal number is recorded in the service documentation (e.g. CMR/loading order) and its integrity is verified upon unloading. Locks, valves and hoses are also checked before and after the
operation, and deviations are managed using P-03.

The quantities loaded and unloaded are also recorded. The difference (if any) is analysed taking into account customer criteria and technical factors such as temperature/density, measurement method, permitted losses, etc. When the difference exceeds the agreed criteria or cannot be justified, it is recorded as an incident and managed according to P-03.

Personnel involved in traceability (traffic, administration and drivers) receive training on completing records and specific customer requirements. The Quality Manager reviews the indicators and test results at least annually and implements improvements when necessary.

This gives us greater control over our food liquid transport, allowing us to know where, when, how and why each vehicle is carrying a particular load, and we can pass this information on to the customer for their own quality control purposes.

Every year, one of the sector's must-attend events is the National Transport Awards organised by the magazine transporte3.com and Viajeros del Grupo Editorial Editec, which this year celebrates its 38th edition. The event will be held in Madrid and we have been invited to be part of the jury for the Truck of the Year in Spain 2026 and Fifth Wheel: Tanker of the Year 2026 awards.

Our managing director, Brais Sangiao, will attend on our behalf and, together with other professionals from the sector, will decide which are the best vehicles and the best isothermal tankers of this year, which has already begun.

The editorial group at transporte3.com has selected our managing director for his more than two decades in positions of maximum responsibility, with the experience that this entails in fleet management and knowledge of vehicles and the characteristics that make them worthy of an award such as this.

The accumulated experience of Rios Sangiao and therefore its management team in the transport of liquid foodstuffs such as dairy products, juices, wines, oils and even glucose for more than 40 years, and the improvements and renovations we carry out on our fleet, make us deeply knowledgeable about this type of work tool.

The advantages of knowing our vehicles well allow us to optimise their efficiency, and ours as food liquid transport operators. It allows us to be more competitive and reduce our carbon footprint, complying with environmental requirements that enable us to work in demanding environments in this regard.

So, we will meet in Madrid to decide which will be the best vehicles for transporting goods and which will be the best tankers this year. For our part, we will contribute all our knowledge on the subject.

This time of year is a time to take stock of what the year has brought us and to look ahead to the next year and predict (or at least try to) what is to come so that we can be prepared.

2025 has brought numerous changes for the transport sector, both in general and in the specific field of food liquid transport, in the context of new regulations and the overall growth of the sector, which has been boosted by the recovery of industrial production and the increase in private consumption, factors that have increased the demand for freight transport in general.

Within this scenario, refrigerated and specialised transport — such as that provided by our isothermal tanks for food liquids — has consolidated its strategic importance due to the sustained growth of sectors such as the food industry, which requires safe and reliable cold chain solutions, as indicated by Future Market Insights.

2025 in terms of regulation

In terms of regulations, 2025 has brought some significant changes that affect us in terms of changes to our procedures:

• The definitive end of analogue and digital tachographs, to be replaced exclusively by smart terminals, as we reported in our blog back in February
• The change to 44 tonnes. This is undoubtedly the most significant regulatory change in recent years, which came into force in 2025 at the legislative level but will be progressively implemented in 2026. We explained the details at the end of October. This is a somewhat complicated development for international transport, but one that will undoubtedly have benefits for the transport sector (hopefully shared between operators, shippers and carriers).
• The definition and implementation of the eCMR for countries that are signatories to the Geneva Convention.
• The amendment to the Royal Decree regulating the transport of animal by-products or SANDACH, implementing traceability of movements of by-products not intended for human consumption, ensuring compliance with regulations establishing the mandatory use of isothermal tanks, trailers and containers exclusively for the transport of liquid foodstuffs for human consumption.
• Finally, this year leaves us with a surprise, which is none other than the moratorium on the decarbonisation process. Although we recognise that this is a necessary goal, the existing infrastructure and its progress set an implementation agenda that differs from that of the authorities.

2025 for Rios Sangiao

2025 has been a great year for Rios Sangiao, in which we have maintained the trust and commitment of our customers. We have made a significant investment in renewing our vehicle fleet, making it more efficient and sustainable. We have collaborated with social causes in our community, strengthened relationships through hard work and punctual deliveries, and improved our image with a website that better communicates our values.

We look forward to 2026 with enthusiasm and a desire to develop our business in the same way we have done until now, in accordance with our business and social principles. Imagining the company we want in the world we want.

Happy holidays and happy 2026.

25 November was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and there has obviously been a notable decrease in the number of statements, publications and demonstrations in general in support of this date.

At our food liquid transport company, we believe that this day cannot be just adate on the calendar, but rather must represent an attitude and a commitment on the part of everyone at Rios Sangiao. We must maintain a clear and unequivocal position of zero tolerance towards gender violence every day, preventing, not tolerating, combating and prosecuting any manifestation of sexual harassment or harassment on the grounds of sex. To this end, we have a protocol for dealing with cases of gender violence, which we outlined in our previous publication.

This protocol, apart from being a declaration of intent, is a fundamental tool, firstly to provide security to any victim of gender violence and secondly to deal with any incident of this type without improvisation, swiftly and confidentially.

Our protocol combines three types of measures:

• Preventive measures: statement of principles, definition of sexual harassment and gender-based harassment, and identification of behaviours
• Proactive or procedural measures to deal with harassment: to provide a channel for any complaints or reports that may arise and applicable precautionary and/or corrective measures.
• Identification of reactive measures against harassment: and, where appropriate, the disciplinary regime.

The procedure, which from submission to resolution should not take longer than 15 days, goes through different phases:

• Submission of the complaint to the person in the company designated for this matter
• Activation of the protocol
• Informative file
• Resolution of the harassment case
• Follow-up

If the evidence indicates that harassment has occurred, the investigator will urge disciplinary measures to be taken in the report's conclusions and may even propose the disciplinary dismissal of the perpetrator in very serious cases.

The application of this type of protocol is Rios Sangiao's response to a social reality that needs to be improved and is part of our vision of our role as a company within a global context, which is in line with our way of doing things.

We believe that the excellence we strive for in the transport of liquid foodstuffs should also be applied in all areas of the company, including at a social level. This involves renewing our fleets to implement more efficient and less polluting vehicles, caring for and incentivising our staff by retaining talent, and collaborating with Rios Sangiao in social initiatives that promote healthy habits and, ultimately, social well-being.

We want our company, apart from striving for excellence in service with ontime deliveries and exquisite care of our goods, to have a positive impact on its environment and on all the people involved in Rios Sangiao's processes. We want the corporate responsibility that we apply in our work to be applied in general to our way of being.

Digital violence is real violence. #NoExcuse for online abuse

This 25 November, Rios Sangiao wants to join in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women because dates like this provide an opportunity to raise awareness among the general public about issues such as human rights, sustainable development, health and gender-based violence.

Despite the progress made in recent years, gender-based violence is still one of the most widespread and generalised human rights violations in the world. Almost one in three women have been victims of physical and/or sexualviolence at least once in their lives, which makes it necessary to raise awareness of this problem, accept it as a reality in our society and take the necessary measures to eradicate it.

This year, the theme for 2025 is "UNITE to end digital violence against women and girls".

This year, the campaign for the Day Against Gender Violence focuses on the digital environment. Gender-based violence on online platforms is a serious and rapidly growing threat due to weak technological regulation, a lack of legal recognition of this type of aggression in some countries, the impunity of platforms due to their delocalisation, new and rapid forms of abuse using AI, movements opposed to gender equality, the anonymity of aggressors and the lack of support for digital victims.

Forms of harassment or abuse on digital platforms include:

• Misuse of images or non-consensual sharing of intimate images, often referred
  to as revenge porn or nude leaks.
• Cyberbullying, trolling, and online threats.
• Online harassment and sexual harassment;
• Falsification of images using artificial intelligence (AI): sexually explicit
  images, fake pornography, and digitally manipulated images, videos, or
  audio recordings;
• Hate speech and disinformation on platforms;
• Doxing: publication of private information;
• Hate speech and misinformation on platforms;
• Online harassment, surveillance or tracking to monitor a person's
  activities;
• Online sexual recruitment and exploitation;
• Identity theft;
• Misogynistic networks, such as the macho sphere or incel forums;

These acts are often not limited to digital environments, but are also reproduced in physical environments in the form of coercion, abuse and even femicide.

At Rios Sangiao, in addition to joining the United Nations Organisation to raise awareness of this problem, we have implemented training on equality for our staff and middle management. We also have a specific protocol for dealing with cases of gender-based violence.

This protocol designates a person within the company who is responsible for managing cases of harassment and establishes the means for processing complaints, defining the maximum time frames for each of the management phases, which include investigating the facts, auditing the people involved,
generating a report and making decisions based on the conclusions.

We are convinced that if we all take a clear stand against this problem, we will reduce cases of violence and harassment and move towards a more just and equal society.

2025 saw the introduction of smart tachographs, and it is clear that 2026 will also be a year of change. The increase in load capacity to 44 tonnes, which will be implemented at the beginning of the new year, is in addition to the change we are bringing you today: the definitive implementation of the eCMR.

What CMR is?

Until now, all international transport must carry the CMR, which is a standardised and official physical consignment note for transport between countries that are signatories to the Geneva Convention. This document contains information about the shipment: who is transporting what, for whom, from where and to where, and under what conditions.

What does the eCMR contribute?

The novelty for the coming year is that, according to EU Regulation 2020/1056, European authorities are obliged to accept and recognise the electronic information included in the eCMR. This will lead to the widespread use of this electronic document, saving management time in transport departments and inspection time for the authorities during transit. Using a QR code, all documentation is centralised and available, reducing the risk of loss and penalties, while also complying with eFTI standards.

In addition, this document contains the traceability of each action related to the cargo, with everything recorded in an instantaneously accessible and tamper-proof event log.

In our case of transporting liquid foodstuffs, it can provide additional information that guarantees the safety and traceability of the transport through information on transport temperatures, seals, and the condition of the cargo through documentation or images.

This document has been signed by more than 34 countries, most of which have ratified it, meaning that it has full legal recognition. The signatory countries have expressed their commitment to the document, but its use may be subject to limitations (such as in Italy, Portugal, Turkey, or Azerbaijan). Ireland, Bosnia, and Albania are countries that would be outside the agreement.

It is important to note that if a route crosses a non-signatory country, the eCMR has no legal validity and must be accompanied by a consignment note for that particular section.

Another step forward in 2026 to make us more competitive and efficient.

From 23 January 2026, Rios Sangiao will begin providing food liquid transport services with loads of up to 44 tonnes.

According to the publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of Order PJC/780/2025, which amends the General Vehicle Regulations, general cargo trucks can increase their capacity to 44 tonnes in Spain as of 23 October.

In the case of tanker trucks, which is the case that affects us at Rios Sangiao, we will be able to operate with 44 tonnes from 23 January next year.

At present, our isothermal tankers cannot travel at full load, which means that on each journey there is a loss of efficiency due to unused space.

This change therefore represents an optimisation of resources and an improvement in our competitiveness, given that all our vehicles with isothermal tanks for transporting liquid foodstuffs are approved for loads of up to 44 tonnes, as referred to in the text. Next year, we will be able to make more effective use of the full capacity of our lorries, achieving greater efficiency.

It should be noted that although most European Union countries have already adopted this measure, there is still no complete harmonisation at European level with regard to regulations on weights and dimensions in road transport. Trucks carrying 44 tonnes of cargo will not be able to continue to operate cross-border for the time being, as no truck will be allowed to cross a border with a load exceeding 40 tonnes.

This last part affects us significantly because a large percentage of our liquid food transport operations are carried out on international routes throughout the European Union, mainly to the Netherlands and Holland, so we hope that the next step for the authorities in the not too distant future will be to harmonise regulations at European level European Union and the opening of borders to these more competitive, efficient and sustainable loads.

In conclusion, this change paves the way for us to improve efficiency in 2026 in an area in which we specialise, namely the transport of dairy products, cream and the daily collection of raw milk from farms to factories. As these are domestic routes, we will be able to take full advantage of the potential and load capacity of our isothermal tankers and achieve more competitive costs.