An interesting alliance of intermodal operators Loconi Intermodal and Baltic Rail was created, connecting BCT – Baltic Container Terminal in Gdynia and Port Koper (Slovenia).
It is an initiative based on existing intermodal and maritime services. Since July Loconi has launched a new railway service from BCT to Wrocław. Baltic Rail has long been offering a connection from Wrocław to Koper. In this way, ports are connected at two ends of the European Baltic-Adriatic Corridor, which opens up a much faster and more efficient transport route from Mediterranean countries to Scandinavia (and the other way round).
Many shipping companies are currently offering such connections by transporting containers around the European continent with two (or more) transhipments in base ports, giving a total transport time of 20 to 30 days. The use of a high-speed and frequent rail connection across the continent and the use of the current short-sea connections which we handle in BCT and Koper will reduce the transport time of containers on this route by half. For example, the time of transport from Israeli and Egyptian ports to Swedish ports will be around 14 days and Turkey will only be 10 days. The cost of transport using the land bridge Koper-BCT Gdynia does not differ significantly from the level of sea rates.
What distinguishes this initiative from previous attempts to connect Adriatic and Baltic ports is the fact that the existing connections are being used and its non-invasive character. All intermodal and maritime services exist and operate on their local markets. The bridge initiative only connects them and coordinates them into a single comprehensive service. For the customer’s convenience – a common e-mail was created – info@balb.eu, where requests for quoting, timetable, connections and other information can be submitted.
We hope that this joint initiative: the ports of Koper, BCT, Loconi and Baltic Rail will allow us to intercept new cargoes that have hitherto bypassed us and will increase our competitiveness on the international maritime and land transport market.
