European rail operators form alliance

European rail operators form alliance

van der Jagt

   Seven freight rail operators in Europe have signed an agreement to coordinate loads and market their services to shippers.
   CD Cargo, CFL Cargo, DB Schenker Rail, Green Cargo, Rail Cargo Austria, SBB Cargo and SNCB Logistics signed the agreement Thursday in Zurich. The agreement covers about half of Europe's freight rail volume and is designed to lure shippers into moving shipments from road to rail, easing road congestion and reducing emissions.
   'Close cooperation on production and information processes can help us unlock significant potential in efficiency and quality,' said Xrail Project Leader G'nther Ferk.
   The agreement is focused on cross-border operating standards with a goal of reliability rates of around 90 percent. The idea will be to allow shippers to access timetables from origin to destination and track the movement of their consignments. The partners in the agreement have committed to taking no more than three days to provide an offer when asked to quote for a wagonload movement.
   The alliance was applauded by the European Shippers' Council.
   'Shippers will be looking very keenly towards this group and what they are able to achieve,' said Nicolette van der Jagt, ESC secretary general. 'Efficiency, competition and the current threat to single-wagon rail freight services are among the top concerns of our members today, so anything that can be done to improve matters must be welcomed.
   'For too long, the rail freight incumbent operators and their representatives believe that most of the problems in the sector can be resolved with new and enhanced rail infrastructure in Europe. Shippers continue to complain to me about the unacceptable levels of service performance, lack of competition and capacity in the rail freight sector, and there is now considerable concern over the declining number of single wagon services.'
   Van der Jagt said the proposed alliance is aimed at precisely the issues that shippers have raised.
   'Members of ESC have been continuously frustrated by the inability or unwillingness of many rail freight service providers to improve their efficiency and provide improved customer service,' she said. 'So now that we see a group of rail freight operators seemingly prepared to tackle these fundamental issues, we are of course very interested.'