Train traffic between Europe and China has proven to be the most resilient transport modality during the ongoing pandemic. The New Silk Road is shock proof! This is the main theme of the European Silk Road Summit 2020, organised by Promedia Group. This event takes place in digital form on 10 and 11 November 2020.

The corridor has never been so much alive as it is today. Despite an impacted world economy and a second wave of COVID-19 moving across the globe, the volumes on the trains between Europe and China continue to rise. New routes are being formed, new solutions developed and the cooperation between Europe and China continues, albeit in the digital sphere.

Digital all the way

The European Silk Road Summit takes place as an online edition too. This brings advantages, says Majorie van Leijen, Editor-in-Chief from Promedia Group. “We get to see more of our speakers, as we have visited many of them in their working place. Normally, delegates come to us, now we have gone to them.” These visits have resulted in short documentary style video reports, which will be shown throughout the conference day.

Moreover, networking is something that can take place in digital form as well, he continues. “We have a digital networking environment that already opens early next week. In this way, registered participants can make appointments with potential business partners, experts or speakers on the programme. During the conference, there are plenty of interaction moments.”

What’s on the programme?

The conference starts off with a parallel session in which a concurrent event taking place in Chengdu, China is streamed. During this session, speakers representing the European rail freight industry will be alternated with speakers representing different platforms or companies in China. Among the speakers is Sandra Géhénot, Freight Director of the UIC.

The first day also includes speakers from Hugo Boss, GEFCO, CH Robinson, Furlog, GVT, New SIlk Way Logistics and Nunner. Practical issues such as transporting fashion or automotive parts and cars are among the topics discussed.

Policy and routes

Maja Bakran Marcich, Deputy Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission kicks off the second day. “We want to discuss policy measures on different levels: on the European level, Chinese level and market level. Policy is an interesting perspective when it comes to an international corridor such as the New Silk Road”, says Promedia Group’s Arie van Dijk. Later that day, various routes and possibilities will be discussed, with a special focus on the Baltic Sea region, Ukraine, Italy and Kazakhstan.

Registration for the event is still open and can be done on this website.