P&O Ferries announces new rail service from Trieste connecting with its continental hub at Zeebrugge
P&O Ferries today announces that a new rail service from the Italian port of Trieste to and from its Zeebrugge hub has commenced this month.The twice weekly service is a new Ekol block train, the European integrated logistics company, that is operated by Hupac and is expected to carry around 5,000 shipments per year from Trieste’s EMT terminal.
Janette Bell, Managing Director of P&O Ferries, said: "We are delighted to announce the launch of this new train into Zeebrugge, which will further enhance our integrated rail and ferry service linking the entire continent of Europe with Britain. We expanded our operation at Zeebrugge last year so that we now have capacity to ship 700,000 units per year and can continue to grow. Our 98 sailings across the North Sea every week - to the ports of Tilbury, Hull and Teesport along the length of the east coast - mean that our customers can take advantage of punctual and reliable access to key markets throughout Britain."
Alaa Jennane, Director of Engineering Business Development at Ekol, said: "This new block train will be the first direct train that will connect Turkey, Iran and the Middle East with the Benelux countries and all the UK in a totally green mode without using a single driver. Thanks to our strategic partner P&O Ferries we can transport shipments using their ferry and terminal services to different regions in England including Tilbury, Hull, and Teesport.”
Renzo Capanni, Director of Hupac, said: "Hupac always strives for efficient intermodal solutions and thanks to the extended terminal infrastructure linked to 24/7 opening of P&O Ferries in Zeebrugge we are able to achieve fast turnaround times of our assets which benefit all parties involved in the transport chain.”
P&O Ferries has reported that rail volumes at its continental hubs in Zeebrugge and Europoort grew by 14 per cent in the first half of 2017. Its operation at Zeebrugge already has connecting rail services to Segrate, Busto and Novara in Italy and Oradea in Romania.
