A.P. Moller - Maersk first block train from Southern West Europe to Asia

This new Maersk´s intermodal service has moved its first 37 x 40 containers in 32 days. The cargo was sent by truck from Cartagena, Spain, to Madrid during May. From there left via block train to Duisburg, Germany, and from there all the way to Hefei, China, using Małaszewicze, Poland as the EU exit point. Final destination is Nansha, capital of Guangdong Province, where the block train will arrive by the end of June.

“There is a limited ocean capacity right now on the eastbound services. In our constant effort to cater for our customers’ needs, we have tailored a solution for an important chemical company, integrating various transport modes to provide them high flexibility as well as reliability to transport their chemical products,” explains Javier Marin, South West Europe and Maghreb Head of Intermodal at Maersk.

Transporting chemical cargo needs extra dedication as it requires high levels of complexity. Intercontinental rail is a good choice and can add value and alternative solution to chemicals supply chain, securing greater resilience.

For this first of its kind eastbound block train from Southern West Europe to Asia, Maersk has partnered with RTSB, the leading railway operator along the Eurasian corridor.

“We will continue to work with rail partners to provide fast and reliable service to our customers. This intercontinental block train has been able to stand by its schedule, delivery times and swift transit clearance on time, creating firm ground for further expansion of transcontinental transit. To the extent that, we are currently working on arranging another one to Shanghai, in this case with 41x 40 containers,” adds James Seale, Product Manager at Maersk.