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Weekly short sea service to Scandinavia and Lithuania launched / Direct train now connects Mukran and Rotterdam / Hinterland hub ElbePort Wittenberge will strengthen short sea network permanently from the end of October
Sassnitz-Mukran, 30October 2020 —MukranPort significantly expanded its transport connections on the New Silk Road in October. In addition to a direct container train between Mukran and Rotterdam, weekly short sea services to Scandinavia (Karlshamn, Sweden) and Lithuania (Klaipeda) now complement the Baltic Sea Port's service portfolio. In addition, Mukran is adding the ElbePort Wittenberge to its network of German hinterland hubs.A second ship now operates four departures in each direction on the Mukran-Baltijsk route.
The new transport links serve the European pre-and post-carriage of containers on the "Baltic Sea Bridge" -a transport corridor between Mukran and Xian in central China, which has now established a permanent part of the New Silk Road. Mukran Port can thus further strengthen itshub function in international freight traffic with China.
"The new services are an excellent addition to our existing network, which already includes numerous hubs in Germany and the Baltic Sea region. We are now connecting further markets in Scandinavia and continental Europe to China," says Harm Sievers, Managing Director of Mukran Port Terminals GmbH, summarizing the importance of the new connections.
In order to continue to handle the increasing demand on the Baltic Sea Bridge, the capacities on the main route to Baltijsk in Russia were doubled. Since mid-October, a second ship, the "Ulrike G", has been in service there.
"Once again Mukrancan thus demonstrate its capabilities as a modern multi-functional port and European hub for China traffic," says Arne Ehlers, Managing Director of the shipping company BREB, which handles the charter process for Baltic Sea Bridge.
Teamwork for China transports
The targeted expansion of the China traffic is based on close cooperation between Mukran Port, DBO Bahnoperator GmbH and Eisenbahngesellschaft Potsdam mbH (EGP). The cargo capacity for the connection of Scandinavia to the New Silk Road was charteredby the shipping company DFDS especially for this purpose. The new short sea services between Mukran, Karlshamn and Klaipeda will in future run once a week in both directions.The same shipping frequency also exists on the route between Mukranand Klaipeda, on which part of the cargo is shipped to China.
Connection to the North Range
Currently the partners are jointly developing a direct container train line between Mukranand Rotterdam. Here they are initially planning a weekly departure in both directionstoo. As confirmed by the first test phase in September and October with several round-trips, the train will need just 36 hours for the 1,800-kilometer rail route, including the respective terminal services in the ports.The operator is EGP, which also handlesthe ElbePort Wittenberge. This trimodal transshipmentterminal in Brandenburg enables the cooperation partners to further expand the short sea traffic between Mukran, the Kaliningrad region, Sweden and Lithuania in the container sector in a targeted manner. The ElbePort offers access to overseas connections viafor exampleBremerhaven and Hamburg.A connection via Cuxhaven to Great Britain is in preparation.
Mukran scores twice
"Thanks to its geographical location, Mukran Port is the ideal logistics hub for these transports between Asia and Europe," says Marcel Stein, Managing Director of DBO Bahnoperator GmbH. "The Xian route in Central China-Mukran is much more time-efficient for these transports than the traditional overland route via Poland and Germany, from where onward transports to Scandinavia and the Baltic States are carried out. In addition, the handling via Mukran also enables us to handle trains for Western Europe with up to 50x40ft containers in the same way as in China".
Christian Becken, authorized Signatory and Project Manager for intermodal transport at EGP, mentions another advantage of the rail link via Mukran in addition to savingtime: "On this
connection we can use a train of 740 meters length. This is a significant increase in train length compared to the Polish infrastructure and enables us to combine transports between China and Europe, but also within Germany and Europe". EGP uses modern electric locomotives owned by the company as well as its own container wagons for the transports.
About Mukran Port
Germany's easternmost deepwater port is accessible to all classes of ships operating in the Baltic Sea region. The port is located directly on the open sea and thus enables an uncomplicated approach for shipping. Therefore, time-consuming trips to the port area are not necessary. There is also no pilotage obligation. The port's own railway company Baltic Port Rail Mukran is responsible for the railway logistics at the location. It organises the punctual provision, collection and shunting services of wagons. The port and station area has a total of around 90 kilometres of track.
About Baltic Sea Bridge
Baltic Sea Bridge is a brand and business unit of Mukran Port Terminals GmbH und Co KG. The aim is the complete development of the Silk Road corridor across the port and industrial zone of Mukran as well as the acceptance of short sea container loads. Baltic Sea Bridge acts as an interface of the United Transport and Logistics Company -Eurasian Rail Alliance (UTLC ERA) to Western Europe. UTLC ERA provides services for the transport of containers by regular container block trains on the China-Europe-China route through the territories of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.For more information on bookings and contact persons, please visit the download section of the Mukran Port Terminals website:
Source Mukran Port
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