Belgian rail operator Lineas has reaffirmed its drive to promote road to rail modal shift by launching a new service linking three terminals at the Port of Zeebrugge with its European Green Xpress intermodal network.

Lineas is operating a round trip service every working day to and from Zeebrugge’s C.RO Ports and P&O Ferries for the shortsea, and Costco Shipping Ports terminal for the deepsea service, enabling cargos to be sent on their way to international destinations the same day.

Attractive

Sam Bruynseels, Managing Director of Lineas Intermodal, said: “The new link addresses the demand from many customers and the port. We have noted that our Green Xpress network appeals to the market. We hope that with this offer we can convince Zeebrugge logistics service providers who do not yet use rail. The rail solution to a wide and growing offer of European destinations is at least as attractive as and more reliable than road transport.”

Joachim Coens, CEO of Port of Zeebrugge/MBZ, added: “For the seaport of Bruges, this rail link means strengthening our intermodal offers deep into Europe. This intermodal transport is our strength.”

Expansion

Lineas believes it is vital to continue pushing the case for modal shift from road to rail in order to relieve the pressures and demands being put on the European logistics market. Many goods, it said, have to find their way from countries like Italy, Germany and France to the seaports, and that was why it had joined forces with the Port of Zeebrugge, which is in a ‘strategic location’ within Europe, to coordinate this new service and turn the port into a ‘real rail hub’.

The new connections means Zeebrugge now has direct rail links to Switzerland (Basel), Austria (Vienna & Graz/Welb), Slovakia (Bratislava), Germany (Cologne, Ludwigshafen/Mannheim), Italy (Milan), Spain (Madrid, Tarragona, Hendaye & Granollers), Czech Republic (Lovosice), Sweden (Malmo) and the ports of Rotterdam and Le Havre.

Lineas said it was continuing to focus on the expansion of its Green Xpress Network and would be announcing a number of new European destinations early in 2018.