From The Loadstar, July 23:
China-Europe rail service expands through UK as volumes double
This week saw the first China-Europe rail service go onwards from Dartford into the UK, to Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester.
Davies Turner, the only forwarder offering a weekly LCL service to the UK, has expanded the service in line with volume growth.....MUCH MORE
“It’s a very successful route,” said Tony Cole, head of supply chain services. “It’s now three 40ft consoles a week.
“It’s going to our own depots by rail now, where it was trucked before.”
One forwarder recently told The Loadstar that the service didn’t make much sense to the UK owing to the additional cost and time of getting the container from Duisberg, but Mr Cole argued that it was still better than using ocean or air freight.
“The cost to Davies Turner of the Duisburg haul (in either direction) is about 25% of the overall door-to-door cost to of the China-UK movement.
“It does add a few days, but it is still a significantly shorter transit than the ocean freight transit time from a range of ports on China’s North Eastern and Eastern coasts.
“It offers even more advantages for shippers / forwarders based in mainland Europe, which probably explains why there are loads of forwarders now involved in a service to mainland Europe.”
The company has seen its Express China rail freight service container volumes double year-on-year....
Previously:
The 'Stans: "The Nexus Of Global Trade Routes"
China-Europe rail freight hits the buffers as rocketing demand brings congestion
