The Italian infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) launched EasyRailFreight, a new app that will bring logistics operators and their customers closer together. The former can use the app to offer their services, while the latter will be able to search for the most suitable offer through one single platform. This is the first time…
Author: Marco Raimondi
Lack of capacity along Iron Ore Line puts hundreds of LKAB jobs at risk
LKAB, the largest iron ore producer in Europe, said that some of its facilities might close unless capacity along the Iron Ore Line, or Malmbanan, doesn’t improve significantly. “LKAB is reviewing closure in either Kiruna or Svappavaara based on what would mean the least damage to the company”, they said. Because of capacity issues, LKAB…
Spain rejects proposal to anticipate Ruta de la Plata’s reopening
The Spanish government rejected a proposal to advance the reopening of the Ruta de la Plata to 2040 instead of 2050. The railway, stretching along the Portuguese border up to the Atlantic Ocean, was an important rail freight corridor in the 20th century but a significant section has been closed since the mid-1990s. The proposal…
Spain introduces new scheme to keep an eye on track access charges
Despite being one of the countries with the lower track access charges for rail freight in Europe, Spain is implementing a new scheme to supervise the fees adopted by the country’s infrastructure manager Adif. The new plan was recently approved by the Spanish National Market and Competition Commission (CNMC). If for rail freight the track…
Switzerland to invest in CargoBeamer’s Domodossola terminal
The Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) will invest 38,8 million francs (39.5 million euros) to build a transshipment facility in Domodossola, one of the most active rail freight hubs in Italy. The facility in Domodossola is currently managed by CargoBeamer, a German specialist in the transportation of non-cranable semi-trailers. The FOT said that the…
French rail cooperative Railcoop to be dissolved next week
After five years of struggles to remain financially viable, French rail cooperative Railcoop will come to an end next week. The Cahors Commercial Court shall decide the future of Railcoop on Monday 15 April, and all signs point to liquidation. The cooperative was put under receivership by the Cahors Commercial Court at the end of…
Amazon onboards Mercitalia trains between Italy-Germany
Amazon signed an agreement with the Italian state-owned rail freight group Mercitalia. The contract envisioned the rail transportation of goods between Amazon’s distribution centres in Italy and Germany. The two routes selected start are Pomezia-Duisburg and Verona-Herne. The e-commerce giant has distribution centres in all four locations involved in the initiative. For the Pomezia-Duisburg itinerary,…
Audi and Helrom put more car parts on the rail
Audi partnered with non-cranable semi-trailer specialist Helrom to supply three car manufacturing sites by rail. Two sites are in Germany, in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt, while the third one is in Győr, in Hungary. The first block train was deployed on 4 April, as Helrom pointed out. All three destinations are located along the Regensburg (DE)…
CMA CGM and GTS Rail go international with new joint venture
French shipping giant CMA CGM and Italian rail freight operator GTS Rail are establishing a new joint venture (JV) called European Container Network to take their collaboration to an international level. The two companies are already cooperating in Italy, especially from the port of Genoa. With this new initiative, GTS Rail aims to expand its…
French first and last-mile operators need state aid to survive Frejus closure
The impact of the closure of the Frejus Railway, the main border crossing between Italy and France, is being felt not only by the rail freight sector. Many first and last-mile companies in France, for example, are asking for state support to remain afloat but the scenario seems to remain gloomy. For example, operations at…