The International Association of Rail Freight Carriers IBS Congress was held in Riga at the Latvijas dzelzceļš (Latvian Railway) venue, the key topic of which was the prospects and new models of cooperation for rail logistics in the Baltic States and Europe.
Opening the event, IBS Chairman Olaf Krueger emphasized the importance of choosing the venue: “We organize congresses where we see potential for developing business and business connections. The challenges faced by the Baltic States, Finland and the entire region require joining forces – from differences in track gauge and wagon standards to the influence of geopolitics. Our goal is to offer practical solutions and inspire new opportunities.”
Rinalds Plavnieks, Member of the Board of Latvijas dzelzceļš, noted that the region’s railways are undergoing a transformation: “We are moving from east-west transit to integrated provision of freight, passenger and military transportation. It is important not only to maintain existing cooperation, but also to build new models that correspond to the realities of today.”
The event was attended by more than 60 representatives of companies from the Baltics, Germany, Finland and other countries, including transport operators, logistics and forwarding companies, port terminals and manufacturing enterprises.
The IBS Association has been uniting participants in the European railway sector since 1996, promoting the ideas of international freight traffic, the development of logistics chains and effective interaction between business and government agencies.