Latvian first railway container depot will start working from September
As the newspaper "Biznes&Baltija" writes today, the first Latvian railway container depot will start to work as of September, informs LETA.
The transport hub was set up by two giants operating in the transit industry – German transport and logistic companyDB Schenker and Russian Railway daughter joint-stock company TransContainer. Latvijas Dzelzcels (Latvian Railway) did not take part in the realization of the project.
The newspaper writes that the representatives of DB Schenker and TransContainer declined to comment the opening of the new container depot, by pointing out that the companies are still discussing cooperation details. It is expected that next week the companies will come out with a joint announcement related to the project, while the work of the depot will start next month.
"We have signed an agreement with Schenker, according to which our railway rolling-stock on the territory of the company's logistics park will be placed," theTransContainer central bureau's spokesman Dmitry Yesipov said to the newspaper.
It is expected that empty containers and railway platforms will be used to load the depot, thus providing carriers with possibility to deliver cargoes more quickly and sparing them time to wait until the sent containers return from Russia.
Schenker Logistics Park is located between Lubana Street and Krustpils Street in Riga having a railway branch-line.
Railway industry businesspersons expressed regret that the initiative did not come from Latvijas Dzelzcels, as a result foreign companies reached an agreement without consulting negotiators. However, Latvijas Dzelzcels representatives positively evaluated the project, since it will increase the volumes of freight transported by rail.
The newspaper also reminded that cargo transportation in containers by rail became a priority at the time when the current Riga Vice-mayor Ainars Slesers(Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) filled the post of Minister for Transport.