Helrom, a German company specialised in the rail transport of non-cranable semi-trailers, will launch a new service connecting Braunschweig, in northern Germany, with Vienna. The first trains will depart on 24 June with one daily departure. This is not Herlom’s first connection to the Austrian capital. In 2020, the company launched a connection between the…
Author: Marco Raimondi
Contship to boost rail freight in La Spezia with terminal expansion
Italian intermodal company Contship started the procedures to expand the Ravano container terminal at the port of La Spezia, on the Italian northwestern coast. With this terminal, the company said it aims to increase its TEU capacity from 1,4 to 2 million. Rail is expected to play a key role, as mentioned by Contiship’s CEO…
PKP Cargo bets its future on frail foundations
The Polish state-owned rail freight operator PKP Cargo is struggling, as are many of its counterparts across Europe. Rumours surfaced about a possible bankruptcy for PKP Cargo and RailFreight.com went straight to the source to better understand what is happening. The company confirmed that the situation is bleak, and most of its hopes heavily rely…
Etihad Rail and Cosco Abu Dhabi partner up at Khalifa Port
Etihad Rail, the rail company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cosco Shipping Ports Abu Dhabi Container Freight Station. The partnership will enable Cosco’s subsidiary to use the UAE’s railway network to move its cargo from the Khalifa port, 100 kilometres south of Dubai, to other logistics centres in…
‘A fairer rail freight market means fewer state-owned companies’
“There is no reason for the member states to act indirectly as market participants via state-owned, integrated companies”. This was stated in a joint paper by UIRR, ERFA, Die Güterbahnen and RailGood, which set out what they think are the most important measures for rail freight transport in Europe between 2024 and 2029. According to…
More DAC tests are over, developments remain vague
A consortium led by SBB Cargo recently submitted a report to the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) on the DAC+ tests it has been running since March 2023. These tests focussed on the digital aspects of the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) such as data transfer. The company said that the tests led to important…
French National Assembly urges EU Member States to boycott the WDD
The French National Assembly, part of the French Parliament, is asking its government to oppose the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) of the Greening Freight Package (GFP). They are also calling for “Member States to retain full control over the parameters for authorising cross-border driving conditions for lorries over 40 tonnes”. The European Parliament approved…
‘TACs in Poland should be reduced by 50 per cent in the next five years’
The Polish Federation of Independent Rail Operators (ZNPK) asked the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure for a gradual reduction of Track Access Charges over the next five years. The final goal would be to have them reduced by 50 per cent to increase the competitiveness of rail freight. According to ZNPK’s head Michał Litwin, the Polish…
‘TACs in Poland should be reduced by 50 per cent in the next five years’
The Polish Federation of Independent Rail Operators (ZNPK) asked the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure for a gradual reduction of Track Access Charges over the next five years. The final goal would be to have them reduced by 50 per cent to increase the competitiveness of rail freight. According to ZNPK’s head Michał Litwin, the Polish…
Valencia-Madrid rolling highway enters test phase
The rolling highway service between Valencia and Madrid is one step closer to starting operations. The first testing phase started over the weekend, with Tramesa, one of the headliners of the project, underlining that it will not be an easy task. The deployment of the rolling highway between Valencia and Madrid was announced in the…