A new intermodal service is being tested to transport agricultural products between Almeria in Spanish Andalusia and Antwerp in Belgium. The service is initiated by Swiss operator Hupac, Spanish railway company Renfe and Spanish consortium Port Rail Almanzora.

Vegetables and fruits are transported via lorry between Pulpi and Barcelona. In Barcelona, the cargo is transferred to a train with refrigerated containers, from where it is taken to Antwerp.

Partners

Por Rail Almanzora is a company created by six transport and agricultural companies to develop a logistical area for vegetables in Pulpi, an agricultural hub in Almeria. In doing this, It is taking advantage of the Mediterranean rail corridor project.

Primaflor, a specialist in salad products, and Cosentino, a multinational company specialised in stone products, are the main partners in Port Rail Almanzora. Other partners are active on Almeria’s water market, essential for the agricultural industry due to periodical and severe droughts. Transport company Primafrio is also testing a piggyback service for fruits and vegetables between Barcelona and Bettembourg, developed by Renfe and SNCF.

Agriculture regions

Murcia and Almeria are two important agricultural regions, exporting their products to Europe taking advantage of their early harvests due to high temperatures to compete in Central European markets. As a result, a reliable transport service is essential to strengthen this advantage.

Agricultural companies located in these origins are continually analysing transport services such as piggyback rail or short sea shipping modalities to improve their service, demanding the completion of the Mediterranean rail corridor for a long time.