A new rail container service between the port of Antwerp and Venlo in the Netherlands is due to begin operation on 23 May. The new rail shuttle is of particular significance for the port of Antwerp as it will make a major addition to the port's intermodal services to this important logistics region. The barge operator Danser/BCTN already introduced a regular weekly barge service between Antwerp and Venlo two years ago.
The new rail shuttle service is a joint project by Antwerp Port Authority, the Venlo-based rail freight specialist Cabooter Railcargo and the German inland port of Duisburg. The train will depart four times per week from quay 1700 in the Deurganck dock in the port of Antwerp, bound for the Cabooter rail terminal in Venlo in the North of the Dutch province of Limburg. "For Venlo, the N° 1 logistics hotspot in the Netherlands, the port of Antwerp is a strategic partner. This new rail service is a milestone for our region," says Hans Cabooter.
Last year was a record year for the port of Antwerp, with a total of over 208 million tonnes of freight being handled in 2015. The port has also got off to a strong start in the first quarter of 2016, with excellent growth figures for handling of containers and liquid bulk. Thanks to among others the 2M alliance between MSC and Maersk, which has resulted in more calls from the Far East, Antwerp saw its import volume grow further.
Now more than ever, the supply chain approach plays a central role in Antwerp: the numerous freight flows not only have to be handled efficiently in the port, they must also find their way quickly and reliably to the hinterland. Being able to offer sufficient intermodal connections is therefore of crucial importance.
Venlo is one of the leading logistics hotspots in Europe. Multinationals such as Viking, Arrow, Nutricia, Canon and Tommy Hilfiger use Venlo as a distribution hub. During the past few years the region has greatly expanded its intermodal accessibility by developing rail and barge terminals that mainly serve the port of Rotterdam. That situation changed two years ago with the introduction of a barge container service between Venlo and Antwerp. Now the start-up of a new rail connection further completes the intermodal range of services between the two major cargo-generating regions in the heart of Europe. This addition to the intermodal facilities will help to improve and expand Antwerp's market share within its natural hinterland.