Европа

After several years of planning and an intensive, yet brief, construction phase, the new combined transport terminal at the Port of Straubing-Sand was officially opened on September 30. Ulrich Lange, Member of the Bundestag and Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport, led the opening ceremony, along with representatives from politics and business. The Federal Government supported the project with approximately €19 million, representing approximately 79% of the total eligible investment.

According to the Statistical Office of Serbia, the country’s foreign trade turnover reached €49.27 billion in January–August 2025, an 8.3% increase compared to the previous year. Exports grew by 8.6% to €21.76 billion, while imports increased by 8% to €27.51 billion, leaving a deficit of €5.76 billion. The EU remains the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for 58% of the total, while the CEFTA region ranks second, generating a surplus of €1.94 billion.

French group CMA CGM has signed an agreement to acquire the multimodal business of Freightliner UK Intermodal Logistics, the largest British rail operator. The deal covers rail and road freight, a network of inland terminals, and the Freightliner brand. Completion of the transaction is expected in early 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

During the peak grain handling season in Latvia, the Port of Riga implemented a digital solution to manage truck traffic. Since August, more than 597,000 tons of agricultural products, including wheat and rapeseed, have been shipped through the terminals, with Spain, Germany, and African countries the main export destinations. A total of 15 terminals on both banks of the Daugava River are operating during the season.

Large-scale infrastructure preparation for future offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea has begun at the Port of Klaipėda. Tilsta is reconstructing the berths on the site of the former international ferry terminal, creating areas for the assembly, processing, and storage of wind turbine components. The project is being implemented under an agreement between the Port Authority and Klasco, signed in May 2022.

Infrabel, together with Lineas, has completed the €12.5 million investment project, co-financed by the Belgian federal government and the European Union. The upgrade enables the handling of full 750-metre freight trains in the Mercator rail network, located near the Mercator dock between the John F. Kennedylaan and the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal.

The Izmail branch of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) has signed a contract with the Turkish company Onur Marine Gemi Işletmeciliği Tic. A.Ş. for dredging work worth UAH 45.90 million excluding VAT. The work will cover the waters near berths 12–14 and 19–22 of the port of Izmail, where 170,500 cubic meters of soil are to be removed and transported to an underwater dump in the Danube by the end of 2025. The company will use its own vessel, the Hegemann IV, for the project.

The Port of Trieste is strengthening its role as a key maritime hub in Central Europe thanks to direct services from Rail Cargo Group (RCG). As part of the international TransNET network, the port is connected to Villach, Salzburg, Linz, Vienna, Munich, Burghausen, and Wolfurt by regular direct services several times a week. Additionally, the combined TransFER Vienna–Trieste and TransFER Wels–Vienna–Budapest routes provide access to the BILK terminal, while a separate corporate train connects Budapest and Trieste directly.

On September 27, Dutch shipping company WEC Lines will launch its NWC Spain service, adding a second vessel to the line. The new route will offer weekly departures from Bilbao and Gijón to Liverpool and Dublin, offering a fast and reliable alternative to road transport from Spain to the UK and Ireland. Departures from Bilbao will be on Fridays, arrivals in Liverpool on Mondays, and arrivals in Dublin on Wednesdays.

At the TRAKO-2025 railway exhibition in Gdansk, Ukrzaliznytsia JSC and the Polish operator PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe signed a framework cooperation agreement. The document provides for joint actions to ensure uninterrupted and safe train traffic across the Polish-Ukrainian border, as well as the development and maintenance of railway infrastructure.