Combined transport at record height in 2018
The number of consignments transported using combined transport reached a historic high of 8.6 million TEU in 2018. This constituted an increase of almost 5 per cent compared to the year before. The growth was...Read more
Positive step towards Combined Transport Directive amendment
The Combined Transport Directive, a legislative piece which assures the support for combined transport in the EU, received positive input last week. The Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) of the European Parliament adopted the compromises...Read more
Combined transport: moving ahead or backwards?
The legislative piece that assures a harmonised intermodal regulatory framework in Europe is under fire. Although the main aim of opening up this legislation for discussion was to broaden the support for intermodal transport, it...Read more
‘Terminal strategy is key, but almost absent in Europe’
“At the end of the day, improving rail terminal efficiency is a question of being competitive with the entire logistics chain”, said Ralf Charley Schultze, president of the International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR)....Read more
Intermodal wagon could overtake conventional rail freight unit
Intermodal transport is the optimal interconnector between the modalities for a wide range of cargo types that travel exclusively on road today, said the International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR). The organisation made these...Read moreCombined transport sector rises rapidly, but with aging fleet
The European combined transport fleet is aging and in ten years from now, will need to be upgraded. However, with the technical specifications of the wagons today, this will be a challenge. This is one...Read more‘Who will be filling the freight trains that Europe wants to have?’
European legislators will begin their trialogue negotiations in the next days to come to a common agreement regarding the amendment of the 27-year-old Combined Transport Directive. These amendments should ensure more harmonised rules for combined...Read more
Harmonisation of combined transport rules in jeopardy
The amendments to the Combined Transport Directive may not be enacted, as the proposal currently on the table is less encouraging to combined transport than existing legislation. Rather than forming harmonised rules, it enables member...Read more
EU rail sector: Graz Declaration could mark beginning of new era
The rail sector associations CER, EIM, ERFA, UIP, UIRR and UNIFE welcome the Graz Declaration, pushing for environment-friendly transportation in Europe. The rail sector stands ready to intensify its collaborative efforts in acting as a...Read more
Rastatt one-year anniversary: where are we now?
It is exactly one year ago that the disrupted railway line at Rastatt was reopened for train traffic. The three lobby organisations ERFA, NEE and UIRR take the opportunity to highlight the lessons learnt so...Read more
‘Do not allow for 44-tonne gross vehicle weight on German roads’
German associations have proposed to allow for 44-tonne gross vehicle weight on all German roads that are ‘the road leg of combined transport chains’. This is objected by lobby organisation UIRR. The permitted weight on...Read more
‘Electronic freight document should not be the new ERTMS’
When implementing legislation with the aim of enhancing the use of electronic freight documents in the European Union, this should be completely harmonised. If implementation is only partially harmonised, we will see fragmented and costly...Read more
European Parliament votes on Combined Transport Directive
The Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) of the European Parliament has adopted the amendment of the Combined Transport Directive. Specifications regarding the road leg, as well as other points have been altered. The EU legislation...Read more
Next step towards adopting new Combined Transport Directive
A next step towards an amended Combined Transport Directive was made with the adoption of the progress report by the Transport Ministers of EU Member States. However, the ambitioned deadline for a partial compromise in...Read more
Economic damage of Rastatt incident more than 2 billion Euros
The Rastatt incident that paralysed rail freight traffic during a seven-week interruption of railway operations on the Karlsruhe-Basel line of the Rhine-Alphine Corridor has resulted in economic damage of more than two billion Euros for...Read more
‘Strikes in France can easily have similar effect as Rastatt disaster’
The SNCF strike in France hits the European rail freight industry hard, and as a result, seriously affects the European market, industry leaders have said. “International rail transport towards Switzerland, Italy and Spain is almost...Read more