A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ÖBB’s Rail Cargo Group and DHL Global Forwarding with the aim of establishing regular connections along the Eurasian corridor. With the first direct freight train from China to Vienna, Rail Cargo Group (RCG) successfully launched its next train connection between Asia and Europe.
The New Silk Road holds enormous potential for the Austrian economy and direct access to a rapidly growing market. A major advantage for rail transport is that it is environmentally friendly, cheaper than air freight and faster than sea freight. The aim is to achieve a transport duration of around 10 days until the year 2020.
DHL and RCG have already handled the first direct train from China to Austria. With the intensified cooperation, new connections between Europe and Asia will be implemented.
“Trade between China and Austria is booming. This makes it all the more important that we offer our customers attractive connections and a strong network. With the MoU and their collaboration, RCG and DHL are sending a clear signal. Together we are bundling our know-how and network,” explains RCG Board Member Thomas Kargl.
The aim of the cooperation is to expand rail transports on the Eurasian land bridge through the six countries of China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Austria. This includes the increase in freight transport capacity and the sustainable establishment of alternative routes to the existing China-Europe connections.
“This key partnership comes in the wake of Austria’s Economy Minister having signed 30 business deals worth USD 1.9 billion with Chinese companies last month. The MoU combines RCG’s deep expertise in regional rail infrastructure with DHL’s end-to-end forwarding capabilities and one of the world’s broadest multimodal networks, giving customers in Europe and China a potent new alternative to tap into the opportunities heralded by the Belt and Road,” explains Steve Huang, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Greater China.
Share on:
