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Nov 1, 2020 at 5:00 PMMukran Port has significantly expanded its transport connections on the New Silk Road in October. In addition to a direct container train between Mukran and Rotterdam, weekly short-sea services to Scandinavia (Karlshamn, Sweden) and Lithuania (Klaipeda) are now part of the schedule of the Baltic Sea port.
(Sassnitz-Mukran) – Furthermore, Mukran is incorporating ElbePort Wittenberge into its network of German hinterland hubs. A new ship now ensures four departures in each direction on the route Mukran-Baltijsk.
The new transport connections serve the European pre- and post-carriage of containers on the “Baltic Sea Bridge” – a transport corridor between Mukran and Xian in Central China, which has now established itself as a fixed part of the New Silk Road. This allows Mukran Port to further strengthen its hub function in international freight traffic with China.
Excellent Addition to Existing Network
“The new services are an excellent addition to our existing network, which already includes numerous hubs in Germany and the Baltic Sea region. This now connects additional markets in Scandinavia and continental Europe to China,” summarizes Harm Sievers, Managing Director of Mukran Port Terminals GmbH, the significance of the new connections. To continue meeting the increasing demand on the Baltic Sea Bridge, capacities on the main route to Russian Baltijsk have been doubled. Since mid-October, a second ship, the “Ulrike G”, has been deployed here.
“Once again, Mukran can demonstrate its capabilities as a modern multifunctional port and European hub for China traffic,” says Arne Ehlers, Managing Director of the shipping company BREB, which conducts the charter process for the Baltic Sea Bridge.
Teamwork for China Traffic
The targeted expansion of China traffic is taking place in close cooperation between Mukran Port, DBO Bahnoperator GmbH, and the Potsdam Railway Company (EGP). The freight space for connecting Scandinavia to the New Silk Road has been specially chartered by the shipping company DFDS. The new short-sea services between Mukran and Karlshamn will now operate once a week in both directions.
The same departure frequency also exists on the route between Mukran and Klaipeda, where the transport goods are partially shipped further to China.
Connection to the North Range
Currently, the partners are jointly developing a direct container train line between Mukran and Rotterdam. They also plan an initial weekly departure in both directions. As confirmed by the first test phase in September and October with several round trips, the train takes only 36 hours for the total distance of 1,800 kilometers, including the respective terminal services in the ports.
The operating railway company is EGP, which also operates ElbePort Wittenberge. This trimodal transshipment terminal in Brandenburg enables the cooperation partners to specifically expand short-sea traffic between Mukran, the Kaliningrad region, Sweden, and Lithuania in the container sector. ElbePort, for example, provides access to overseas connections via Bremerhaven and Hamburg. A connection to Great Britain is being prepared via Cuxhaven.
Mukran Scores Double
“Thanks to its geographical location, Mukran Port is the ideal logistics hub for these transports between Asia and Europe,” says Marcel Stein, Managing Director of DBO Bahnoperator GmbH. “The route Xian in Central China–Mukran is significantly more time-efficient for these transports than the traditional land route through Poland and Germany, from where further transport to Scandinavia and the Baltic region then occurs. Additionally, the processing through Mukran allows us to handle trains for Western Europe with up to 50x40ft containers similarly to China.”
Christian Becken, Authorized Signatory and Project Manager for Intermodal Transport at EGP, cites another advantage of the railway route via Mukran besides the time savings: “On this connection, we can deploy a train of 740 meters in length. This is a significant gain in train length compared to Polish infrastructure and allows for the combination of traffic between China and Europe as well as within Germany and Europe.” For the transports, EGP uses modern company-owned electric locomotives and its own container flatcars.
About Baltic Sea Bridge
Baltic Sea Bridge is a brand and business unit of Mukran Port Terminals GmbH and Co. KG. The goal is the complete development of the Silk Road corridor through the Mukran port and industrial zone as well as the inclusion of short-sea container loads. Baltic Sea Bridge acts as an interface for the United Transport and Logistics Company – Eurasian Rail Alliance (UTLC ERA) to Western Europe. UTLC ERA offers services for the transport of containers with regular container block trains on the route China-Europe-China through the territories of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Belarus.
About Mukran Ports
Germany’s easternmost deep-water port is accessible to all ship classes operating in the Baltic Sea region. The port is located directly at the open sea, allowing for uncomplicated access for shipping. Therefore, time-consuming harbor maneuvers are not necessary. There is also no pilotage requirement. The port’s own railway, Baltic Port Rail Mukran, is responsible for rail logistics at the site. It organizes the timely provision, pickup, and shunting services of wagons. A total of about 90 kilometers of track facilities are available in the port and railway area.
Image: Fährhafen Sassnitz GmbH
