A coalition of European rail, intermodal and transport safety associations has called on EU institutions to restrict the deployment of European Modular System (EMS) trucks under the ongoing revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive.
Conwy County Council in Wales has come under increasing public pressure after revelations that it spent over £3.2 million on a heavy-duty truck depot that was never commissioned. The data was obtained through a Freedom of Information request and published by the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service. The situation has been exacerbated by the council’s acknowledged budget deficit of £5.632 million for the 2026/27 financial year, which may require additional measures, including potential changes to council tax for households.
Rail Baltic Estonia has announced a tender for the construction of the first stage of the Kantsi Tunnel in the Ülemiste district of Tallinn. The project involves constructing a concrete structure under the future Rail Baltica high-speed railway, which will subsequently create an underground railway connection in the direction of Ülemiste City. The new tunnel will provide an additional connection between the Lasnamäe and Ülemiste districts for pedestrians, passenger cars, and public transport. The crossing will replace the existing pedestrian bridge over the railway towards Kantsi Street.
China-Europe freight train services operated 20,022 trips in 2025, representing a 3.2% increase compared with the previous year, according to the latest statistics from China Railway. Total volumes reached more than 2.05 million TEUs, although this marked a 1.3% decline year on year.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority summarized its year-end results, noting signs of recovery across all segments in the second half of the year, despite significant pressure on chemical and logistics companies. Over the past 12 months, several chemical companies announced production closures in Rotterdam, and investments in new and ongoing projects, primarily in the renewable fuels sector, were suspended. The company assessed that the Dutch government’s measures adopted in 2025 were positive but insufficient to level the competitive playing field with the rest of Europe, while competition from China remains strong. Against this backdrop, the port authority’s financial results remained stable, with investment volume amounting to €291.4 million.
KTZ Express, a freight transport operator and subsidiary of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, has summarized the results of 2025, recording significant growth along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Export shipments along the TITR increased by 71%, while transit shipments increased by 15%. The operator’s share of total container transit through Kazakhstan was 36%, accounting for 100% of container shipments on the Middle Corridor and China-Iran routes, and 68% on the China-Central Asian route. The average delivery time along the TITR has been reduced by 2-3 days compared to 2024: cargo transit from Xi’an dry port to Baku takes 10-12 days, to Poti 15-18 days, to Istanbul 20-22 days, and to Budapest 22-24 days.
Japanese container carrier Ocean Network Express announced the modernization of its Levant Express (LEX) service and the launch of a new Aegean Express (AEX) route. The company stated that the updated solutions are aimed at strengthening north-south connectivity, reducing transit times, and increasing schedule stability.
Business activity in the Eurozone accelerated faster than expected in February. According to preliminary data from the HCOB Flash Eurozone Composite PMI from S&P Global, the composite index rose to 51.9 points, up from 51.3 in January. This indicator has remained above 50.0 for the 14th consecutive month, indicating continued economic expansion in the region.
The Department for Transport announced the transfer of the Eurohub terminal in Barking to rail infrastructure operator Network Rail and its development arm, Platform4, for long-term management. Located in east London, the facility is the only terminal in the country capable of handling European-gauge trains on the High Speed 1 line, which connects the capital with the Channel Tunnel.
A new direct rail freight connection between Parma in Northern Italy and Sweden has officially launched this week, marking the start of a regular weekly service linking the two markets.
