L4 Logistics | Transport Shipping and Logistics News

    Since early March 2006 Hupac have been running a daily connection between Busto Arsizio and Mannheim Handelshafen as part of its Shuttle Net. This has been made possible by a new operational concept of the Busto  Frankfurt FIT shuttle, which now makes an intermediate stop at Mannheim. “Traffic in the Rhein/Main area is showing strong growth. The connection from/to Mannheim was set up to complement the already established traffic to Italy via Ludwigshafen,” explains Peter Howald, Director of Intermodal Services at the Hupac Group.Since the start of April there has also been a new shuttle train between Rotterdam RSC and Mannheim Handelshafen. “With one departure each day in each direction, this new connection creates additional capacity on the much in demand link between the Netherlands and the Rhein-Main area,” says Peter Howald. “In addition, the new connection improves, through integration with the existing Rotterdam  Ludwigshafen connection, the flexibility and stability of our traffic network”. Also very interesting is the large number of networking opportunities. “From Rotterdam RSC, consignments can be forwarded directly via the Short Sea and Deep Sea quays to Great Britain, Ireland, Norway and overseas,” explains Mr Howald.Greater capacity has also been created in the traffic between Belgium and Italy. From the middle of April, a direct shuttle started running between Antwerp and Padua. For the growing transport market between Belgium and north-east Italy, there are now three departures per week and per direction, with attractive schedules from Day A to Day C. From the end of April there is a daily shuttle train between Genk and Busto without an intermediate stop in Frankfurt. The discontinuance of the wagon group from/to Frankfurt has freed additional capacity which will be absorbed by the growing market in the South of Belgium.The expanded Busto Arsizio-Gallarate terminal creates new opportunities for extending the Italian gateway traffic. As early as September 2005 a new daily feeder train was launched between Padua and Busto. For early June 2006 we are planning to introduce a daily feeder between Busto and Fiorenzuola near Parma. This train will make it possible to connect Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany to the international intermodal network via Busto. In Fiorenzuola there are opportunities for continuing into Latium and to Sicily.Hupac’s transalpine trains run on the principle of integrated end-to-end traction responsibility by the railway companies involved. The main freight carrier for the Busto  Mannheim/Frankfurt train is Trenitalia Cargo. For traction of the shuttle train Genk  Busto the Belgian rail company Dillen & Le Jeune Cargo takes responsibility. The Rotterdam  Mannheim connection has been entrusted to Rail4Chem. SBB Cargo handles the Antwerp  Padua shuttle, and Trenitalia Cargo also handles the Busto  Fiorenzuola train.  Source: Press Release