Long-distance transport using the common CIM/SMGS consignment note is more and more attractive, especially due to the reduced time spent in traffic and environment protection reasons, as well as the contractual responsibility for the shipped cargo.
Shipping freight by railways between Europe, Russia and Asia has a significant transport potential. However, only 1% of this potential is exploited at present, says the International Rail Transport Committee (CIT).
Cesare Brand, CIT’s Secretary General, who attended the Railway Days Summit organized by Club Feroviar and the Romanian Railway Industry Association (AIF) in October in Bucharest, underlined the importance of extending the use of the CIM/SMGS consignment note to facilitate and develop railway connections in the Eurasian platform.
Thus, the latest newsletter of CIT informs us that the CIM/SMGS consignment note enables key transport between China and Europe in 16-18 days, twice faster than by sea.
The CIM/SMGS Legal Group and Experts Group reunited in September and Russian Railways (RZD) representatives underlined the available technical opportunities for the transport of unloaded freight cars on the railway-maritime route Ust-Luga – Sassnitz, using the CIM/SMGS consignment note. Taking this opportunity, RZD has once again expressed interest in developing pilot projects jointly with its partners German Railways (DB) and Polish rail freight operator, PKP Cargo. The pilot projects would be carried out based on a gradual procedure that would include the transport of loaded cars on the above-mentioned route.
To that end, CIT and the Organisation for Co-operation between Railways (OSJD) published at the beginning of October the technical and legal specifications adapted and updated for the CIM/SMGS consignment note.
DB Schenker Rail Germania announced that, by the end of 2013 they would analyse, next to Belarus Railways and Russian Railways, the possibility of introducing the CIM/SMGS as part of the Trans Eurasia Logistic (TEL) project for the goods shipped to Kunzevo II.
According to available 2012 data delivered by CIT and OSJD members, published on CIT’s web page, the use of the CIM/SMGS consignment note exceeds 85% for railway container transport and amounts to 18% for single-wagon transport.
At present, the CIM/SMGS consignment note is used for over 50 traffic flows on four of the TEN-T corridors. Three quarters of this traffic rely on containers and less than 5% of single-wagon transport plays a minor role. The use of the CIM/SMGS consignment note reduces necessary time by around 40 minutes per wagon or eight to ten hours per total transit. Eliminating the separate transcription of CIM and SMGS consignment notes saves around EUR 40 per load.
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