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Nov 25, 2020 at 5:50 PMSwissterminal, the Swiss specialist for integrated logistics services, and its partner DP World are launching regular inland shipping services from Basel-Kleinhüningen and Basel-Birsfelden to numerous deep-sea terminals in the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp starting January 1, 2021.
(Frenkendorf) With the introduction of the new intermodal service for containers, two weekly round trips between Basel and the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp will be offered starting next year. The services will operate in both directions via the hub in Germersheim, Germany, which is operated by the global port service provider DP World.
Two feeder barges will be used, each with a capacity of 96 TEU, connecting the DP World hub in Germersheim with the terminals on the Upper Rhine. From there, the cargo will be loaded onto the existing DP World service, which DP World operates regularly with five ships.
Expansion of Intermodal Connections
With the new inland shipping services, Swissterminal is expanding its intermodal connections between the largest European container ports and the hinterland, allowing customers to benefit from an additional service as well as sustainable and cost-effective transport alternatives. Due to the low fuel consumption and high transport capacity, the new inland shipping service is another step for Swissterminal to offer its customers increasingly eco-friendly logistics solutions.
Departures from Switzerland, as well as arrivals there, will take place twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The transit time in both directions between Switzerland and Rotterdam, as well as to and from Antwerp, is approximately five days. To determine the optimal frequency of calls and ensure smooth operations, Swissterminal has already tested the new intermodal service over a period of several weeks.
Strengthening the Multimodal Offering
By expanding its service portfolio, Swissterminal can further strengthen its role as a reliable provider of multimodal transport in Switzerland. Already today, its subsidiary Schweizerzug offers regular rail connections between Switzerland and the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, as well as to other important economic centers in Europe and Asia. The addition of an extra service by inland ship now provides customers with even greater choice and flexibility in designing their supply chains. To ensure smooth operations, Swissterminal works closely with customs clearance experts. This includes the full-service provider Gaston Schul, which is responsible for all matters related to transit documentation in the two seaports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, as well as VL Verzollung und Logistik AG, which is responsible for the efficient handling of Swiss imports and exports.
“We have already observed an increased demand for reliable connections to and from the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp in the past,” comments Roman Mayer, CEO of Swissterminal, on the new service in light of current market demands, adding: “By expanding our portfolio to include inland shipping services, we now offer our customers, together with our partner DP World, additional flexibility and resilience within their supply chains. This has already proven to be a particular necessity in times of crisis – and will continue to be so in the future.”
Continuous Development
To continue to proactively respond to market demands, Swissterminal will also work on continuously developing its service offerings in the future. “For this, we are in constant communication with our customers to recognize and consider their needs early on. This way, we can continuously optimize our portfolio. With the launch of our new inland shipping connections, we are confident that we will be able to identify and meet future customer wishes early on as well,” says Mayer.
Photo: © Swissterminal
