Mercitalia Fast, the high-speed rail freight service launched by the Italian national rail freight company will not be reinstated. The locomotives used by Mercitalia Rail for this service were returned to its passenger counterpart Trenitalia, all part of the Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) Group. The service was interrupted in late 2022, with FS saying it…
Category: Rail freight
Lack of Baltic commercial operators hinders intermodality, says Samskip
A lack of commercial operators hinders the development of intermodal routes in the Baltics, according to Dutch logistics company Samskip. The company would like to create an extended rail link to rail for its new shortsea service to Klaipeda, but the absence of commercially operated intermodal routes proves to be a major hindrance. However, the…
Freight could return in Waterloo revamp
A joint future vision for London Waterloo station and its surrounding area has been revealed. The British infrastructure agency Network Rail, and the Borough of Lambeth Council, the local authority for the area, are collaborating on the plan. Waterloo is the biggest passenger station in the UK and, until recently, was the busiest too. The…
Khorgos grain terminal starts operating in test mode
A new grain terminal has been opened in Khorgos on the Kazakh-Chinese border. The terminal is currently operating in test mode. In the future, local authorities plan to increase storage capacity twentyfold, up to one million tonnes. In the special economic zone of Khorgos, the new grain terminal has begun accepting grain wagons. It facilitates…
Shortages delay and suspend nearly 50,000 trains in Russia
Russian rail maintenance companies are struggling to acquire enough spare parts to service locomotives. They also face a shortage of highly educated staff. As a result, Russian Railways (RZD) has had to suspend or delay almost 50,000 trains throughout 2023. In comparison to 2022, the amount of delayed or suspended trains due to a lack…
Shortages delay and suspend nearly 50,000 trains in Russia
Russian rail maintenance companies are struggling to acquire enough spare parts to service locomotives. They also face a shortage of highly educated staff. As a result, Russian Railways (RZD) has had to suspend or delay almost 50,000 trains throughout 2023. In comparison to 2022, the amount of delayed or suspended trains due to a lack…
UK Government grants are vital support for rail freight development
Governments in London, Cardiff, and Edinburgh should strengthen financial backing for rail amid ambitious growth targets and economic challenges. In response to the UK Department of Transport’s (DfT) ongoing review of mode shift grants, Rail Partners, an industry-wide advocacy group, has underscored the crucial role of government support in driving the growth of rail freight…
UK Government grants are vital support for rail freight development
Governments in London, Cardiff, and Edinburgh should strengthen financial backing for rail amid ambitious growth targets and economic challenges. In response to the UK Department of Transport’s (DfT) ongoing review of mode shift grants, Rail Partners, an industry-wide advocacy group, has underscored the crucial role of government support in driving the growth of rail freight…
How has the German chemical industry dealt with rail strikes?
With Germany caught up in frequent rail strikes, the sector has been facing difficulties with the transportation of goods. The branch organisation of the German chemical industry (VCI) sounded the alarm bells ahead of last week’s 24-hour strike. VCI warned that the industry cannot cope with more strikes. RailFreight.com reached out to VCI and chemical […]
UPM partners with DB Cargo on sustainable supply chains
UPM Biochemicals has partnered with DB Cargo to make the wood deliveries to its biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, by rail, enabling sustainable supply chains. With the first deliveries complete, the pair has set up and tested a direct rail link to the Leuna operations’ wood yard. UPM has partnered with DB Cargo to transport wood […]