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.
Construction of a new intermodal logistics hub of pan-European significance – the second container terminal for METRANS Group in Hungary, part of HHLA – has officially begun in Szeged, Hungary. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, HIPA Chairman István Jóó, Szeged Mayor László Botka, and METRANS CEO Peter Kiss. The new terminal is scheduled to open in 2027, strengthening Hungary’s position in European supply chains and boosting the region’s competitiveness.
In Kazakhstan, the volume of freight transport by sea for January–November 2025 reached 3.62 million tons, a 41.4% increase compared to the same period last year. These data were released by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms. The growth in freight turnover indicates the increasing role of maritime logistics in the country’s export, import, and transit flows.
On January 6, 2026, Contargo will launch the first train of the new Straubing Nordhafen Shuttle service, which will connect the container terminal in Straubing, Bavaria, with German North Sea ports. Initially, the shuttle will operate three round trips per week on a fixed schedule, offering companies in the region a sustainable and environmentally friendly container transport solution. The first train will depart from Hamburg on January 6, and bookings are now open.
The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine launched the Transport Data Hub, a new analytical platform for working with data in the fields of transport, mobility, and logistics. The launch was announced by Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories. According to him, this fundamentally changes the approach to planning transport routes, infrastructure, border processes, and investments, as previously decisions were often made without a full understanding of the actual flows of people and cargo. Now, the government, communities, and businesses have a unified analytical framework for their daily work and decision-making.
On December 16, the opening ceremony for two modern warehouse complexes was held in the Free Economic Zone of the Port of Gdansk. Solid Port, a key player in the Inner Port, held the opening ceremony. The facilities, built on a plot leased from the port authority for 30 years, consist of rectangular steel tent hangars measuring 40 x 60 meters with a ridge height of 14.5 meters. The walls and roof are made of durable PVC coating, and the warehouses themselves are designed for storing organic fertilizers.
With the introduction of the new 2025/2026 timetable, Frankfurt-based Kombiverkehr KG has undertaken a major modernization of its intermodal rail services between Germany and Spain. The operator has launched optimized direct trains, increased service frequency, and implemented a new operating model focused on greater service flexibility and sustainability for freight forwarders and logistics companies. According to Cébastien Eisner, Sales Manager for Western Europe, the updated concept opens up a “new future” for shipments to Spain, combining high-performance rail service with Kombiverkehr’s presence at the Barcelona Morrot terminal.
