A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has announced the launch of a new rail service from Barcelona to Southern France.
The service is specifically designed to reduce transit times of maritime goods headed for Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Lyon by using Barcelona as an alternative gateway.
Beginning in early November, three weekly direct block trains will run between Barcelona and Toulouse, as well as one weekly link between Barcelona and Lyon.
Using a partner network, the approach links goods to Bordeaux via Toulouse. Furthermore, it is planned to expand train links on the Spanish side to Tarragona and Zaragoza.
According to Maersk, this new option intends to reduce transit times for import and export cargo in the areas of Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Lyon by up to 12 days (seven days on average).
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Due to shorter transport distances and the utilisation of electrified trains it can also be a more environmentally friendly routing, reported Maersk. The block trains can also be booked for intra-continental cargo between Spain and France.
Emilio de la Cruz, Managing Director of Maersk’s Area South West Europe, said: “We are always striving to improve and simplify logistics solutions for our customers and offer better alternatives. By offering them our reliable landside distribution network via rail from the Port of Barcelona we will also increase reliability and resilience in our customers’ supply chains.”
Maersk is operating this new end to end service via its own company APM Spain Railways and cooperates for the trains with the partners Captrain and Naviland.
In June, Maersk announced that it will add a new port call to its ocean shipping service, Shaheen Express.
Three months later, Maersk announced a new transport solution that connects important manufacturing countries in the US, Far East and especially Mediterranean and Europe with Central Asian markets.
