F.S. Mackenzie starts trailer service to Iraq

F.S. Mackenzie starts trailer service to Iraq    Freight forwarder F.S. Mackenzie has started twice-weekly express road trailer services between western Europe and Iraq.
   The service, which caters for express groupage and part-loads, was initiated in response to increased demand to supply goods to emerging markets in Iraq, especially in the Kurdistan region, the company said. It also follows the start of a business partnership with Iraqi forwarder Mateen Express.
   The service operates twice weekly from hubs in Dortmund, Germany, and Basildon, England, and goes to the Mateen Express hub at Erbil, Iraq. The trailers travel via Italy where they are taken by ferry to Mersin, Turkey, for onward travel to Erbil. During the trials, F.S. Mackenzie has been handling about two trailers a week.
   “Our trials have been an absolute success and given us the belief to launch this service to the market,' said Alfred Stienen, F.S. Mackenzie's managing director, in a statement. 'Many customers will be attracted to the fact that cargo on this service is not transshipped on the journey.”
   As part of the Famous Pacific Shipping (FPS), F.S. Mackenzie offers opportunities for cross trading and co-loading onto the Iraqi service at the European hubs, as well as a link up in Mersin or Istanbul for on-carriage into Iraq.
   In addition to Erbil, Mateen Express has Iraq branch offices in Baghdad, Basra, Sulaimanya and Duhok, an operation in Dubai, and two of its own branches in China.