Europe

Road freight rates edge up — narrowing the gap with rail

The Port of Zeebrugge welcomed the container ship MSC San Francisco, with a record draft of 16.80 meters, which berthed at the CSP Zeebrugge terminal. The 366-meter-long, 16,196-TEU vessel arrived from Colombo and is operating on the LION service, which provides direct connections to the Far East via Zeebrugge and then Antwerp.

ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is expanding its logistics network between Europe and Turkey, where the country is becoming a key link in the Middle Corridor connecting Europe, Central Asia, and China. The route provides a stable and faster alternative to sea and air freight, and Turkey serves as a key logistics hub for the Eurasian market.

ZIM shipping line announced the restoration of its LBX service, the only direct container route between Ukraine and Israel. The resumption of the service will be a significant event for the market and will strengthen trade ties between the two countries.

Polish intermodal carrier Laude Smart Intermodal has launched a new connection between Turkey and the EU via Ukraine. The first train of 50 specialized Laude containers departed from the port of Chornomorsk on November 5 with the participation of Ukrzaliznytsia, marking the beginning of a regular route from the Izmir region (port of Aliaga) to Poland with a reduced delivery time of 10 days.

The AsstrA Group has strengthened its intermodal services by launching regular services between Poland and key markets in Southern and Western Europe, including Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The new product combines rail and road transport into a single service, reducing delivery times, costs, and the company’s environmental footprint.

Samskip has launched a new direct shortsea route linking Agadir and Casablanca with ports in the UK and the Netherlands, significantly simplifying the export of Moroccan produce to Europe. Weekly services are designed to transport fresh fruits and vegetables, automotive components, chemicals, and other cargo, with subsequent multimodal connections throughout Europe.

Leading companies and industry associations have joined forces in the Save Combined Transport initiative, declaring the critical state of rail freight transport. The initiative was prompted by an open letter to Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schneider and DB management, which states that disruptions on the railway undermine the foundations of sustainable and efficient logistics and lead to long-term consequences for the economy and climate.

Transfesa Logistics, the Spanish subsidiary of DB Cargo, is upgrading its vehicle fleet by introducing 200 modern double-deck wagons. This expansion aims to improve transport efficiency on the Mediterranean Corridor and reduce emissions through the transition to more environmentally friendly rail solutions. The new standard-gauge wagons feature an adjustable upper deck, allowing for the flexible transportation of a wide range of vehicles—from electric vehicles to small vans—increasing load capacity and simplifying cross-border operations.

The European Commission announced the signing of agreements for the distribution of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grants totaling €2.8 billion, allocated in 2025 for the modernization and expansion of the TEN-T network. Funding will be provided for key railway projects in Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova, including the creation of a standard gauge line between Poland and Lviv (€73.5 million), the development of a corridor from the ports of Constanta and Bucharest to Ukraine and Moldova (€45 million), and the modernization and electrification of the Iasi-Ungheni line (€33 million).