Rail

During a working trip to China, Marat Karabaev, Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, visited the leading Chinese international dry port in Xi’an. This port occupies a leading position in China in terms of container train handling volume. As part of this trip, the Kazakh terminal was launched on the territory of the port, with an annual capacity of 66.5 thousand twenty-foot equivalents. The minister held a meeting with employees of the enterprise and took part in the departure of the first prefabricated train from this terminal along the Trans-Caspian international transport route. At the end of the trip, Marat Karabaev held a number of meetings with business representatives from both countries.

In response to logistical challenges stemming from ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels, Lineas and CSP Zeebrugge have joined forces to establish a new train connection between Zeebrugge and Graz, Austria, serving COSCO Shipping Lines. These attacks have disrupted the usual route through the Red Sea and the port of Piraeus, Greece, prompting the need for a swift alternative. 

The management of NC KTZ JSC, together with the akimat of the Turkestan region, held a meeting to discuss the progress of construction of the Darbaza – Maktaaral railway line. for filling the subgrade.

A new freight route linking China and Serbia has commenced operations, enhancing connectivity between the two regions. The route, connecting Hebei province in China with Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at strengthening ties between Europe and China.

ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) introduces a seamless wagonload connection service between Austria and Slovenia, emphasizing its strategic integration with the economic centers of Central and South-Eastern Europe. Leveraging the pivotal role of the port of Koper in international freight transport, RCG’s TransNET network facilitates efficient logistics connections to key destinations in Central Europe, notably Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

In 2023, KTZ-Freight Transportation LLP managed to significantly reduce the specific consumption of diesel fuel by 3.3% compared to the previous year, which led to savings of 1,169 tons of fuel. This success was the result of systematic monitoring and analysis of the work of regional managers, as well as a review of maintenance standards at various sites.

DB Cargo, a prominent player in the rail freight industry, has showcased innovative approaches to modernizing its rolling stock sustainably with a recent project focusing on its timber fleet. The initiative stemmed from a fortuitous alignment between the Steel and Timber divisions within DB Cargo, both seeking to renew their rolling stock concurrently. Recognizing the potential for collaboration, DB Cargo repurposed steel wagons from its Steel division, converting them into modern stanchion wagons for the timber fleet, achieving cost-effectiveness and resource efficiency in the process.

Hungarian consortium Ganz-Mavag Europe has made a bid of €619m to acquire Talgo entirely, a move welcomed by the latter. However, the Spanish government is hesitant about foreign ownership, contemplating alternatives such as a potential acquisition by CAF.

At a meeting in Almaty, which brought together heads of branches of road departments and shippers, a program to improve the efficiency of cargo transportation was discussed. Among the participants were representatives of such companies as RZH Brands LLP, NEK Terminal LLP, and NSK Trans Logistics LLP.

The European Commission has given the green light to Mediterranean Shipping Co’s proposal to acquire a 50% share in Italo-NTV, an open-access high-speed train operator, from Global Infrastructure Partners. This deal, initially disclosed in October, underwent standard merger scrutiny by the Commission, which found no grounds for competition concerns.