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At its October meeting, the Board of Directors of the International Union of Combined Road and Rail Transport (UIRR) decided to implement a rotating presidency, effective January 1, 2026. After eighteen months at the helm of the association, the current chairman, Hupac Group CEO Mihail Stahlhut, is handing over his powers to the current Vice Chairman and CEO of Contargo, Jürgen Albersmann. Metrans CEO Petr Kiš has been elected as the new Vice Chairman, while Stahlhut will continue to serve on the UIRR Board of Directors.

Hungary’s railway infrastructure manager will include HUF 60 billion (approx. EUR 155 million) from its own resources in its 2026 business plan for maintenance and renewals, in addition to the HUF 800 billion (approx. EUR 2.07 billion) earmarked for infrastructure development through joint funding by the Hungarian state and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

Intermodal transport operator Hupac announced the launch of a new rail service between Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT) and Novara CIM, effective January 12, 2026. The project aims to accelerate the shift in freight flows from road to rail and further develop sustainable logistics solutions in Europe.

On December 23, 2025, A2B-online celebrated a significant milestone in its history with the launch of its new vessel, the A2B Vision, built at the SEDEF shipyard in Tuzla, Turkey. This long-awaited moment is the culmination of years of work by the company’s team and marks the beginning of a new era for the A2B-online fleet. The vessel is expected to embark on its maiden voyage in mid-2026, followed by the A2B Progress.

CLdN and DFDS have agreed to extend their capacity charter agreement on the Zeebrugge-Gothenburg route for another five years, simultaneously increasing the route’s cargo capacity. This agreement aims to further develop maritime connections between Scandinavia and Western Europe, more efficiently serve growing customer demand, and reduce the environmental footprint of shipping.

EU transport ministers have agreed on a common position on a comprehensive reform of vehicle safety regulations, which will directly affect carriers and commercial vehicle operators. The package of changes includes more stringent roadside inspections for heavy trucks, expanded emissions testing, and a complete transition to digital vehicle safety documents. The updated regulations cover periodic vehicle inspections, roadside inspections of commercial vehicles, and registration documents, with the aim of improving road safety, identifying high-emission vehicles, and streamlining enforcement.

On December 15, the country’s first battery-powered passenger train, manufactured at the Polish plant of Stadler, a Swiss group company, arrived in Lithuania. The new rolling stock is part of LTG Link’s fleet renewal program: by the end of 2026, the company plans to receive six battery-powered trains, adding a total of 15 new trains to its fleet – nine electric trains and six battery-powered ones. According to LTG Link CEO Kristina Meide, the project reflects the company’s commitment to making rail travel more sustainable, comfortable, and modern.

In the first eleven months of the year, the Port of Klaipėda handled nearly 36 million tonnes of cargo, demonstrating double-digit growth compared to the same period last year and maintaining its status as the leading port in the Baltics. Key drivers were containerized cargo, ro-ro ferry shipments, and liquefied natural gas. Containerized cargo reached nearly 12 million tonnes, a 29% year-on-year increase and accounting for a third of the port’s total cargo throughput.