APM Terminals (APMT) has said its operations at the Port of Gijon (APMT Gijon) has launched an eco-friendly supply chain connecting major Spanish cities to the UK and Ireland using bio-fuel lorries and LNG-powered vessels.
In a statement, APMT said it signed a deal with Containerships, a subsidiary of CMA CGM as part of its efforts to build the new supply chain.
The parties will connect APMT Gijon with Seville, Murcia, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid and Burgos with Liverpool, UK, and Dublin, Ireland.
In addition to the bio-fuel lorries and LNG-powered vessels, which stands for liquefied natural gas, the supply chain will include block trains to connect the cities.
Each block train will have a 52 TEU capacity and will be capable of transporting all types of cargo and could remove 26 lorries from the roads
The diesel locomotives that will be used on the service could be as much as four times more environmentally efficient than diesel lorries, according to APMT which cities data published by the Association of American Railroads.
APMT described Gijon as being “ideally placed” for the trade with the UK. Terminal manager Miguel Ruiz said: “In addition to the clear environmental benefits offered by this service, customers can also cut the time to UK and Irish markets from Spain, compared to shipments made from other Spanish ports.”
APMT Gijon is equipped with a 450 metre on-dock track for fast and efficient loading and a separate rail yard with two 350 metre tracks for “optimum flexibility”.
In the future, APMT said the service has the capacity to scale up to a daily service for the cities currently served.
