XPO proposes urban freight rail shuttle for retail distribution in Paris

Acquisition heavy 3PL XPO Logistics is designing an intermodal logistics solution that will inject large shipment volumes into the inner suburbs of Paris to minimize truck traffic for final delivery to retailers.    XPO Logistics is partnering with a French industrial developer and rail operator to offer inbound intermodal distribution to Paris for retailers, the company announced Thursday. 
   The plan is to create an urban rail shuttle between warehouse districts in the northern Paris metropolitan area and close-in suburb, with XPO handling last-mile delivery using trucks powered by alternative fuel such as natural gas.
   XPO, which entered the European market just last summer with the acquisition of third-party logistics provider Norbert Dentressangle, said the urban rail shuttle will require an average of 30 fewer trucks per day on city streets and reduce the environmental impact of urban logistics.
   Sogaris, a developer of commercial buildings tailored for logistics, will build a rail terminal in an inner suburb as part of what it calls a multi-modal “logistics hotel.” The multi-level structure will combine several types of logistics operations shared by various providers within a densely packed city location in order to share investment costs and enhance urban logistics. Sogaris has already built a similar facility called Rungis near Paris’s Orly Airport.
   The short-line rail service, which will be able to transport 60 containers at a time, is expected to commence operation in September 2017.
   The freight trains will be provided and operated by Eurorail through its RegioRail subsidiary.
   XPO is responsible for designing and marketing the intermodal solution.