News from the world rail freight market.
The first four of 78 Evolution Series ES43ACi diesel locos which are being manufactured at Wabtec’s Marhowra factory in India under a contract awarded in July 2024. They will be used to haul iron ore on the 670 km TransGuinéen Railway from the Simandou mines to Port Moribana. The line will be operated by the Compagnie du TransGuinéen joint venture between mining concessionaires Rio Tinto SimFer (42.5%) and Winning Consortium Simandou (42.5%) and the government of Guinea (15%). Costs and capacity will be shared equally between the two mining companies, which have both ordered 4 500 hp ES43ACmi locos.
P&O Ferrymasters launched a direct container train service between Zeebrugge and Barcelona on September 23. It runs three times a week, and along with the existing Zeebrugge – Dourges – Perpignan connection provides daily access to Spain. There are ferry connections from the Zeebrugge P&O terminal to the UK and Ireland, including a dedicated company train to Manchester via Tilbury, as well as overland links across northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Ruhr Area and short sea routes to Scandinavia and the Baltic states.
Budapest-based traction and freight services company Rail Cargo Carrier has joined the European Rail Freight Association. ‘With operations in 13 countries, we see first-hand how important fair and workable framework conditions are for efficient cross-border logistics’, said Rail Cargo Carrier Managing Director, Boglarka Mondvay-Nemeth. ERFA President Dirk Stahl said ‘Rail Cargo Carrier’s presence will increase ERFA’s ability to take informed positions taking into consideration various national situations’.
Construction company Swietelsky is GATX Rail Europe’s latest customer, taking delivery of Sgns wagons which will operate mainly in Austria to support engineering sites throughout the rail network. The wagons can transport containers serving as mobile offices.
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group has received an ERA single safety certificate for the Netherlands, Belgium and the German border region. The first train operated under this license and with RCG’s own traction ran from Roosendaal in Netherlands to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on October 14.
CRRC Qiche is supplying an undisclosed customer in Africa with 30 tonne axleload ore wagons equipped with couplers, bogies and air brake systems independently developed by the manufacturer to AAR standards.
Contracts & Resources Manager Debbie Simmons has abeen appointed Managing Director of the UK’s Victa Railfreight, which provides rail logistics, terminal handling, shunting and train preparation services as well as consultancy and safety training. Simmons takes over from founder Neil Sime who moves to the role of Executive Chairman. ‘It has been a privilege to lead Victa for the past three decades, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together’, said Sime. ‘Debbie has been an integral part of our journey and is the ideal person to take the company forward.’
Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport has authorised the operation of freight trains with a single driver from October 25. The decree also sets out procedures designed to enable a simplified and more flexible approach to the management of emergencies.
GATX Rail Europe has appointed Adam Zielewski as Managing Director of its in-house workshop at Ostróda in Poland. He joined GATX Rail Europe in 2004 as a production manager, then moved into wagon maintenance and since 2021 he has worked as Technical Implementation Manager East. ‘My goal is to make our workshop in Ostróda the best repair facility for all of our business partners’, he said.
