In this first stage, the train starts on a weekly basis and with 90% refrigerated product and another 10% of dry cargo. The ultimate goal is to increase the frequency to the UK and also launch connections to Benelux and Germany.
The Port Authority of Alicante has welcomed the presentation of the new railway service between Alicante and the United Kingdom. The line was launched at a key moment in the supply chain, responding to the current supply problems in that country, caused by lack of drivers, as well as the need to offer sustainable and competitive transport alternatives in the face of the climate emergency.
The Alicante Port Authority Director, Carlos Eleno, was in charge of opening the event and explained that this approach is a step towards engaging with the Mediterranean Corridor, “this commitment to trains and the service we launched today, is the best example. The private sector has already taken the first step, but now more than ever we need public administrations to accelerate and finish the actions still pending on the corridor as soon as possible: a third line, sidings, electrification of the port branch, etc.”.
For Jesús Aznar, Southeast Maritime Terminals Director Alicante, the new train that was just unveiled, “is a perfect complement for export, import and transport companies that currently operate between the Spanish southeast and the United Kingdom. The UK’s exit from the EU, and bottlenecks in supply chains, make stable transport solutions increasingly necessary. It is therefore a question of helping transport growth with alternative approaches that complement and help road transport companies.”
They’ve released more details about this new line that expands the railway network in the logistics chain in the Alicante and Valencia region even more, which is a strategic area in product exportation throughout Europe.
In this first stage, the train starts on a weekly basis and with 90% refrigerated product and another 10% of dry cargo. The ultimate goal is to increase the frequency to the UK and also launch connections to Benelux and Germany. The operations are offered by the Southeast Maritime Terminal logistics platform, one of the Port of Alicante terminals, which also offers land services, alongside shipping companies. With this service to the United Kingdom they want to put freight onto trains, in addition to their current rail connections with Barcelona and Madrid.
Regarding this action to promote transport sustainability, Nevado pointed out that this connection is forward progress toward the goal of decarbonising transport, a sector that represents almost 30% of total emissions. “Transporting goods by rail reduces up to 80% of CO2. External costs are also reduced by up to 50%. It also consumes six times less energy and is eight times better in terms of air pollution than other approaches. We talk about rail a lot, but trucks are an important ally. We also talk about intermodality, and we must evolve towards a model whereby long distance is performed by rail and door-to-door by road.”
Meanwhile, Jesús Aznar highlighted that this railway route is an example of the chance to offer better customer services at competitive prices. Aznar also explained that “as in all starts and business projects, the beginnings are difficult. In recent weeks TMS and Transfesa Logistics have made an enormous effort to get this first service operational. We’ve contacted most of the fresh produce shippers and carriers to the UK; and we’ve received a lot of feedback from them.”
For Aznar, “at the moment the difficulties surrounding road transport due to the changes that occurred with Brexit and the regulations being promoted by the EU; make this bridge between Alicante and the United Kingdom more necessary than ever. That’s why it’s so important to support everyone so that this first connection is consolidated. We can thereby increase the frequency, achieve a better service and an improvement in costs. The increase in frequency would easily extend this line to central European countries such as Belgium, Holland and Germany. In addition, this service is the perfect complement to road transport. It provides loaders with stable capacity and prices throughout the year; without taking away the importance of conventional truck transport that can focus on products or markets not served by rail. That’s why we’re asking everyone for their support so that this Alicante to London bridge becomes a reality and helps everyone to grow along with it. Today we have twenty-five loaders, one for each slot. We encourage you to get on this train!”
A positive balance
The first steps in this direct route between the port of Alicante and the United Kingdom are positive. As they explained, this new connection with England from Alicante is a very good example of the commitment to rail, so that southern Spain becomes more and more connected with Europe, thus anticipating the completion of the Mediterranean Corridor work.
As for shipments in the last week of October, the first convoy for arrival in London was already launched, and returns today, while the second service from Alicante is leaving. That week fifteen containers were shipped from Alicante. All of them were delivered between Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 November. In this presentation they also informed us that as of the November 19 shipment, the port of Alicante service will leave on Fridays at 11:30 in the morning, so loads will be accepted until Friday at 9:30am. This means a total transit time between Alicante and London of seventy-two hours, which considerably improves on the current time of eighty-four hours.