France’s Finance and Economic Affairs minister, Bruno Le Maire, is to summon SNCF chief, Jean-Pierre Farandou, to a meeting to explain the signing of an ‘early retirement’ agreement with the four main labour unions at the state railways which he believes circumvents a 2023 French reform law. The agreement, signed at the end of last…
Category: France
French region eyes six-fold increase in rail freight via targeted investment
France’s Brittany region plans to increase its rail freight traffic six-fold by 2050, reaching nine million tonnes of goods transported. To achieve this, the regional public authority, the French State and rail network manager SNCF Réseau are implementing a multi-year investment programme until 2027, totalling 64 million euros. It compares to a previous rail freight…
Open Modal commission state-of-the-art combi terminal near Marseille
France’s Open Modal Group has announced the commissioning of a state-of-the-art intermodal terminal for swap bodies and containers in Miramas, on the outskirts of Marseille. The terminal has attracted public and private investment estimated at almost 40 million euros. “The Terminal Ouest Provence (TOP Terminal) is the fruit of five years of hard work, commented…
Rail returns to Stellantis auto plant in northern France
After a long absence of 13 years, rail is returning to the Stellantis car factory in Hordain in northern France. While Stellantis has long relied on road haulage, the covid pandemic threw a spanner in the works and forced the car manufacturer to reconsider its transport options. Train services at the Stellantis plant in Hordain…
Rail returns to Stellantis auto plant in northern France
After a long absence of 13 years, rail is returning to the Stellantis car factory in Hordain in northern France. While Stellantis has long relied on road haulage, the covid pandemic threw a spanner in the works and forced the car manufacturer to reconsider its transport options. Train services at the Stellantis plant in Hordain…
Green light for re-organisation of Port of Marseille-Fos rail freight
Plans for the re-organisation of rail freight into the French Mediterranean port of Marseille-Fos, which serves as an important hub for both domestic and international traffic, has been given the green light following a public enquiry, much to the dismay of local residents. The total investment in the project is estimated at almost 60 million…
DB Cargo France: ‘traffic decline balanced out by SNCF’s routes pickup’
In an interview with Railfreight.com, Alexandre Gallo, President and CEO of DB Cargo France and President of the Association Française du Rail (AFRA), comments on market trends and the outlook for the remainder of the year and beyond while responding to shippers’ current perception of the industry. How did rail freight markets play out in…