Europe

Rail transport in Poland entered 2026 with diverging trends, as passenger traffic continued to grow strongly while freight volumes remained below last year’s levels.

CEVA Logistics announced a contract extension with the But-Conforama group at the SITL trade fair in Paris. The French home goods retailer has entrusted the logistics operator with the management of domestic seaborne import shipments, as well as full customs clearance support, for another two years. This agreement strengthens CEVA’s status as a key logistics partner in the French market.

APM Terminals has launched a container rail shuttle between Helsingborg and the Port of Gothenburg, with operations starting in February.

A. P. Moller – Maersk reported ongoing disruptions to global logistics operations amid the escalating situation in the Middle East. Geopolitical tensions have disrupted regular routes, increased delivery times, and reduced shipping predictability. At the same time, European ports are experiencing additional challenges: in Rotterdam, storms and strong winds are delaying vessel arrivals and complicating terminal operations, which has already led to a critical increase in container stacking density. Customers are being asked to pick up imported containers immediately after unloading to avoid further overloading. Difficult weather conditions since January have also affected Western Mediterranean terminals, where the SAMBA service is forced to skip certain ports of call to restore schedules.

The Port of Gothenburg has signed an agreement to purchase a large parcel of land adjacent to the port area. The deal, concluded with Platzer, includes not only the land but also office buildings and part of the water area. The purchase price was 684 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to approximately $72.4 million.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority announced the launch of a seven-month pilot project, Track Together, starting April 1, 2026. The project is based on a so-called shunting agreement between rail operators. The companies, representing approximately 70% of the market, will be able to take over each other’s services at fixed rates in the event of capacity shortages or disruptions. This cooperation format aims to prevent train cancellations and lengthy delays, and ensures a ready-made plan for dealing with deviations from the standard schedule.

Eight contractors are competing for archaeological works on railway line no. 85 between Warsaw and Łódź, a core part of Poland’s high-speed rail development under the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) programme.

Wallenborn Transports and Cathay Cargo have signed a new road freight partnership agreement aimed at developing intermodal solutions and increasing the transparency of logistics processes in Europe. The agreement expands Cathay Cargo’s European intermodal network and strengthens the companies’ long-standing collaboration. Customers are expected to benefit from greater route connectivity, increased operational reliability, and improved visibility across all stages of transportation.

The Port of Amsterdam has announced efforts to strengthen the Dutch inland waterway system as part of the national Topcorridors program. Together with government agencies, businesses, and shipping partners, the port is working to create a sustainable and future-proof network of waterways and inland ports, which play a key role in the country’s freight transport system.

Polish national carrier PKP Intercity signed a cooperation agreement with Ukrzaliznytsia for PLN 17.956 million. According to the agreement, the Ukrainian operator will provide rail services within Poland on behalf of the Polish company. The contract, signed on March 5, is for a period of 36 months and governs the organization of international passenger service between the two countries.