A win-win solution between Kombiverkehr and MBOX Terminal will see the two partners extending their service network. The two companies have commenced a new collaboration that will see freight trains linking Wels in Austria and Niš in Serbia. The partnership is in effect already and starts by offering three weekly roundtrips between the two locations.…
Author: Nikos Papatolios
Who (and why) gains from Germany’s €1.7 billion single wagonload fund?
With single wagonload transport being one of the most fragile and volatile services offered by the rail freight industry, the 1.7 billion euros that Germany will pour into it sounded like music to the ears of logisticians. Nevertheless, soon, joy was overtaken by doubt, considering reports claiming that DB Cargo would be the primary beneficiary…
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is officially open again after year-long closure
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway was subject to significant upgrades targeting its capacity for roughly a year. With most work concluded in early March, the railway was expected to restart operations in late May 2024. The expectations turned into reality, and as a result, the BTK line saw its first freight train running after a long time.…
Swiss and German ministries spearhead CargoBeamer’s terminal expansion
The Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) and the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA) are set to spearhead the expansion of CargoBeamer’s terminals in Domodossola (Italy) and Kaldenkirchen (Germany), respectively, with their investments. The two public entities will raise 90 million euros in total for the two projects. At the same time, the Germany-based intermodal…
‘Businesses should brace ahead of new Import Control System’
The EU’s new Import Control System (ICS2), designed to streamline and strengthen customs control procedures for the European single market, is rapidly approaching. For rail freight transport, the system will be enforced by 2025. Road operators, however, will need to adapt as early as June 2024. Despite its noble intentions, ICS2 is anticipated to introduce…
Do EU citizens know what’s at stake with the EU’s transport policies?
The rail industry has vehemently opposed the Commission’s Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD), which would allow gigaliners or mega trucks to dominate the European transport sector price-wise and capacity-wise. Apart from the industry, however, such policies also concern the public, considering they could heavily impact life quality in many ways. Is the European public aware…
Short-term TAC hikes put transport contracts under strain
In a bid to combat the crippling impact of skyrocketing track access charges, European rail operators are calling for urgent short-term support measures. The clarion call comes amidst a flurry of criticism following Germany’s recent hefty price hike program, among others. Apart from Germany, which will increase TACs by 16 per cent, Sweden and Portugal…
Short-term TAC hikes put transport contracts under strain
In a bid to combat the crippling impact of skyrocketing track access charges, European rail operators are calling for urgent short-term support measures. The clarion call comes amidst a flurry of criticism following Germany’s recent hefty price hike program, among others. Apart from Germany, which will increase TACs by 16 per cent, Sweden and Portugal…
New TEN-T: extra ERTMS deployment deadlines, unclear vision for rolling stock
As the adoption of the new TEN-T regulations by the EU Parliament sinks in, more points relevant to rail freight should be addressed. Those include, among other things, the deployment of ERTMS and the new deadlines set for this purpose. There has been much buzz around these two topics, especially regarding ERTMS deployment. Many companies…
New TEN-T: Core focus on multimodal networks, benefits for intermodal rail
The much-awaited revision of the TEN-T regulations is here. The EU Parliament plenary voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of the revision. The legal document that will soon be adopted provides some highlights, including plans to boost intermodal transport and multimodal transport and terminal networks across the old continent. Of course, the 260-page document…