During the meeting at Ukrzaliznytsia, they discussed the possibility of using Ukrainian-registered cars on the railways of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan after the resumption of the Chernomorsk-Batumi ferry service.
GEODIS, a leading intermodal transport operator, has expanded its rail freight services with the addition of a new fixed-time route. On June 11, a freight rail service between Lodz and Barcelona was launched, becoming the first direct rail connection between the two countries. Customer goods were sent on the first voyage in 44 containers, each of which can transport up to 26 tons. The train arrived in Barcelona in three days, after which delivery to the final recipients is carried out by road. On the same day, the train returns to Poland with imported goods from Spain. The following routes also have a capacity of 44 units, allowing the same number of trucks to be replaced.
Based on the results of January-June 2024, NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC transported more than 122 million tons of cargo by rail. Domestic transportation increased by 2.1% compared to the same period last year and amounted to over 81.5 million tons, while more than 41 million tons were exported. Among the transported goods, coal occupies a significant place – 47.5 million tons, of which 34.8 million tons are accounted for by domestic transportation.
Nippon Express (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. (NX Vietnam), a subsidiary of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., launched a new rail service linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on June 21. With Vietnam’s rapid economic growth fueling increased logistics needs, the new service will be an important element in effectively connecting the country’s manufacturing and consumer centers. Switching to rail transportation will help solve the problem of constant traffic congestion and reduce the costs and time of transporting goods.
Seven new rail connections have been announced across Europe in July 2024, significantly improving the continent’s logistics infrastructure. MOVE Intermodal has launched an intermodal service between Venlo in the Netherlands and Novara in Italy, providing six departures per week. METRANS has launched a new regular service between Duisburg and Poznań, which now includes semi-trailer transport, while Trans Italia and Tramesa have launched a signature train connecting Valencia and Madrid.
Ukrzaliznytsia, the state-owned railway of Ukraine, plans to introduce comprehensive transport services in Poland by 2025, following the issuance of a relevant license for its affiliate, Ukrainian Railways Cargo Poland. This move aims to streamline railfreight operations between Ukraine and Poland, avoiding the need for multiple contracts with different companies.
At the Altynkol station, an official ceremony was held to receive the first shunting diesel locomotives received ahead of schedule under an agreement with the Chinese company CRRC. This agreement was signed on October 17, 2023 during the visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to China.
This summer, Ukrzaliznytsia, together with Duisburger Hafen Aktiengesellschaft, plans to launch regular container and piggyback trains between Ukraine and the port of Duisburg. A corresponding memorandum was signed, opening up new opportunities for transporting goods by rail to EU countries.
Since 2014, ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) has been providing reliable transport and logistics services for the Romanian economic zone with the TransFER route between Western Europe and Romania. Environmentally friendly rail transport has become an important element of infrastructure.
Despite the claims, the German government continues to retreat from its climate protection targets in the transport sector. This has a particular impact on railways and combined transport, as the manager of Kombiverkehr KG said when presenting the results for the 2023 financial year. Continuous increases in rail tariffs, the end of subsidies and the government’s refusal to cover the additional costs of upgrading high-speed corridors are negatively impacting the goals of shifting freight from road to rail.
