Inspired by the economic potential of the New Silk Road, Poland is to host the first RailFreight Summit, organised by RailFreight and Nieuwsblad Transport, next year.

The event, Silk Road Gateway Poland, will see expert speakers share their knowledge and experiences in the city of Wroclaw in March. It will will examine the developments which have brought the New Silk Road – also known as One Belt, One Road – to the forefront of the Europe-Asia logistics corridors, what they mean for Poland and the other countries along the growing number of routes, not least China.

Resurgence

The Silk Road was the ancient trade route that once ran between China and the West during the days of the Roman Empire, and it became so named because it was the way in which oriental silk first made it to Europe. More than 2,000 years later, it is undergoing a resurgence. The catalyst was launch by the Chinese Government in 2013 of a new ‘double trade corridor’ – one by overland, one by sea – starting in China, and going through Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

As part of this development, Poland has become an increasingly vital hub for rail freight services, often as an interchange for container train services run by dozens of operators. The summit will take stock of developments so far and, more importantly, look to the future to see the benefits that can be realised for all stakeholders, including rail operators, logistics firms and all those involved in the supply chain.

Experts

The summit is taking place from March 20-21, and day one will start with a technical visit, enabling visitors to meet some of the people behind the logistical chains in Poland. The second part of the day will features keynote speeches on the meaning of the Silk Road & Poland, and the implications of the One Belt, One Road project for eastern Europe. Day two begins with a focus on the ambitions of China, followed by sessions on how to connect the Silk Road routes and stops, and the business case for Poland and beyond. The summit is being sponsored by Nunner Logistics.

Registration is not yet open but you can leave your details on the event website and you will be kept informed. Details of the expert speakers are expected to be announced in January.