Swiss transport industry agrees on terminals strategy 
The major new Basel Nord terminal in Switzerland will now be built and when completed will offer tri-modal handling between rail, road and inland shipping on the River Rhine, as originally envisaged. Another new hub, the Limmattal Gateway, will be implemented gradually, in line... plus
VTG/K+N joint venture approved
VTG Aktiengesellschaft, a European wagon hire and rail logistics company, has been granted approval from the German and Austrian antitrust authorities for its merger with certain rail transport operations of Kuehne + Nagel. This clears the way for the launch of a joint venture... plus
TIR system resumes in Russia
Russia's federal customs service (FCS RF) has officially notified the Russian TIR guaranteeing association Asmap about the extension of its agreement until 1 July 2014. In line with the TIR Convention, Russian customs authorities must therefore continue to accept TIR Carnets at... plus
Union Pacific Railroad adds intermodal service
Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has introduced a new intermodal service offering between Chicago IL (USA) and Monterrey (Mexico), giving companies another reliable transportation option to move goods across the border six days a week. Trains carrying intermodal containers will... plus
Building work starts on trailer plant in China
Joint venture partners Dongfeng and Schmitz Cargobull recently laid the foundation stone at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new trailer plant in Wuhan (China). The first semi-trailers for the Chinese market will roll off the assembly line in the city with 11 million inhabitants... plus
CN plans to invest in rail and wheel flaw detection...
Canadian National Railway (CN) is to invest in additional monitoring equipment to enhance its strong technological base for the early detection of defects. The CAD 10 million (EUR 6.9 million) investment programme includes the acquisition/installation of 30 new wayside equipment... plus
Kenya starts construction of new rail line
Kenya has started work on a new railway line that will run from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi, reducing the journey time from 15 hours to about four, according to the local press. The new railway link will eventually extend to South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of... plus
Switzerland banning alcohol for professional drivers
Switzerland is introducing an alcohol ban for all professional drivers from 1 January 2014. Truck and hazardous goods drivers must not have a blood alcohol content in excess of 0.1‰ when they take a seat at the wheel. Anyone who is caught by the police with a blood alcohol... plus
Nemunas rail link offers new truck transport service
Lithuanian and Belarusian railway companies have launched a train service known as Nemunas. The new link is operated by a contrailer train with special platforms that are suitable for hauling semi trucks/trailers. The Nemunas train is able to transport 30 semi-trailer trucks and... plus
Kapsch delivering GSM-R technology to Hungary
The Vienna-based telecommunication company Kapsch CarrierCom is to equip some 900 km of the Hungarian rail network with GSM-R technology and carry out the requisite maintenance work thereafter. The contract, worth approximately EUR 46 million, was awarded by the Hungary’s state... plus