H.Essers, a logistics service provider, and private railway company, Lineas Intermodal, launched the very first direct train service connecting Genk, in Belgium, to Trieste in the North of Italy.
Lineas Intermodal set up the routes between Euro Terminal Genk, near the headquarters of H.Essers, and Samer Terminal in Trieste. “The open train is able to transport both containers and trailers. Initially, there will be two trips per week, later three”, Sam Bruynseels, Managing Director of Lineas Intermodal, said.
H.Essers will use the railway for secured/cold-chain transports to Greece and Turkey. The cargo units are taken by train from Genk to Trieste, and then by ship to the port of Patras, Greece and the ports of Istanbul, Pendik, Izmir and Mersin in Turkey. “This represents not only a nice extension to, but also an optimisation of our existing network. Moreover, the new route is a good example of a synchromodal solution where goods travel as much as 90% over rail and water”, said Gert Bervoets, CEO of H.Essers.
On this link it will be intensively used the 45-foot Safebox containers, specially developed for H.Essers’ secured/cold-chain transports, focused on the three strategic markets of the company – chemicals, pharma and high-value products. They are electronically locked and monitored 24/7 from the company’s control tower, allowing H.Essers to intervene quickly if necessary. In addition, part of the Safebox containers are equipped with temperature control, making it possible for the control tower to monitor the cooling units so that temperature-sensitive goods can be transported unescorted to Greece and Turkey. “We are able to handle almost all classes of dangerous goods, including liquid bulk transport from tank container specialist Huktra, which was recently taken over by H.Essers,” Gert Bervoets said.
The new rail-water connection to Greece and Turkey allows H.Essers to eliminate 9,000 road transports per year. In addition, the new service will lead to a CO2 reduction of no less than 90 percent- eight times less air pollution and six times less energy consumption.
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