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Rail No Snail in Shortsea Link
01 Oct 2007
Finland's short sea carrier Containerships is launching a weekly rail link between Liepaja in Latvia and Moscow using block trains to provide two-day transit for 45ft containers of up to 22 tons payload. The first train leaves Liepaja this month, arriving in Moscow 48 hours later without stopping at the Latvian - Russian border.
Containerships' managing director Sigurjon Markusson said, 'What makes this rail service different from others is that it is specifically for 45ft pallet wide high cube units and is aimed at the trailer market that at present suffers delays at the Latvian - Russian border.
The service has the support of the Latvian and Russian Transport Ministries via their respective national rail operators. It not only is an environmentally friendly solution to the growing problem of border congestion but also allows both Latvia and Russia to gain revenue from overland freight that so far has needed investment in road and border control points.'
The plan is to progressively upgrade the service to four times a week by the end of next year. Containerships foresees major demand from industrial and retail customers who prefer to use the 45ft high cube containers which fit their business needs but which are normally moved by road and suffer unpredictable delays en-route.
The train service will link with Containerships' frequent and secure short sea services linking Liepaja to Teesport, Tilbury, Helsinki, Rotterdam and Hamburg.
'This rail service will give shippers a reliable route right to he heart of the booming Russian economy', added Markusson.
