OOCL, FREIGHTLINER STRIKE 10-YEAR U.K. RAIL DEAL

OOCL, FREIGHTLINER STRIKE 10-YEAR U.K. RAIL DEAL    Orient Overseas Container Line, the Hong Kong-based ocean carrier,    and Freightliner have entered into a 10-year contract for the U.K. rail freight operator to provide dedicated round-trip rail service between Southampton and Manchester.
   The five-day-a-week service, which kicks off Sept. 3, connects Southampton, where OOCL's deep-sea vessels call to and from Asia and the United States, and Manchester, which serves as a rail hub for OOCL's customer base in the northern United Kingdom.
   Ted Wang, managing director, OOCL (Europe) Ltd. in London, said the contract initiates a plan in which the carrier expects to move more of its inland transport in Europe from road to rail.
   “It will provide OOCL with long-term access to rail capacity when trucking in the U.K. is becoming increasingly difficult. In turn this will allow us to maintain and improve upon our service quality to customers, many of whom require a high standard of inland transport to and from their U.K. premises,” he said.
   Freightliner said it is the first deal of its type and length of time with a container line or logistics provider.
   “Past service success has helped us negotiate this 10-year contract, but it is OOCL's confidence in Freightliner's ability to keep delivering an effective and reliable services that has secured it,” said Alan Galley, managing director, Freightliner Ltd. in London.