A new rail freight line between the Interface Terminal in Ghent and the Lineas Main Hub in Antwerp has been launched, allowing for an extension of traffic to and from the North Sea port to the hinterland network of Lineas. Thanks to the new service, 12 European destinations have been added to the hinterland network of Ghent.

The 12 new destinations are Madrid, Granollers (Barcelona) and Tarragona (Spain), Hendaye (France), Schkopau (Germany), Lovosice (Czech Republic), Curtici (Romania), Malmö (Sweden), Milan (Italy), Wels and Vienna (Austria), and Basel (Switzerland). Parts of these rail connections are supported by the Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works as well as North Sea Port.

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Goods are unloaded and loaded at the multimodal terminal of Kluizendok, which connects to sea, barge, road and rail, the latter with 750-meter triple rail lines. Trains then travel to Antwerp, where they connect to the Lineas European rail network. A number of logistics and distribution companies operate in the area of the terminal and the Kluizendok. Interface Terminal Ghent also has a short-sea connection to the United Kingdom: I-Motion Shipping sails to Hull three times a week.

“For many companies these 12 extra destinations offer opportunities to transport goods to the hinterland by rail. Many quays and business parks in North Sea Port include rail tracks and track bundles”, says Daan Schalck, North Sea Port CEO. Currently, some 7.7 million tons of goods are brought in and out of North Sea Port by rail each year. This accounts for nearly 10 per cent of transport to and from the hinterland. “It is our aim to further increase rail transport. These 12 new destinations are a good contribution.”

Green Xpress Network

“We are proud to be a strategic partner of a thriving port company that is increasingly focusing on rail development”, says Sam Bruynseels, CCO of Lineas. “The connection between Ghent and Antwerp provides an opportunity for companies to transfer more volumes by rail to the European hinterland every day via our Green Xpress Network. It is our intention to increase the frequency in the coming period, so that in the long term we can establish direct connections between Ghent and European destinations.”

Green Xpress Network is Lineas’ flagship product providing daily rail connections between Belgium and major European hubs, combining different types of cargo into one train. With these bundled loads, Lineas aims to capitalise on the strengths of rail: the sustainable transportation of large volumes over average/long distances and with a high frequency.