OOCL, Freightliner renew U.K. intermodal deal

   OOCL and Freightliner said Thursday they have renewed a 10-year strategic partnership to provide OOCL customers with U.K. intermodal services.
   Under the new contract, OOCL has committed to increase capacity by 50 percent, with daily wagons being linked between the Freightliner terminal at the Port of Southampton to their strategic terminal networks at Birmingham, Leeds and Trafford Park. The Trafford Park terminal is the busiest in the United Kingdom and a crucial city hub for Manchester and the northwest of the country.
   “Freightliner’s investments in new rail mounted gantry cranes and handling equipment were also some of the key considerations in OOCL’s decision to continue with the long-term partnership,” OOCL said. “It demonstrates Freightliner’s dedication to ensure customers receive the highest standards of efficiency and reliability throughout every part of the supply chain.”
   OOCL said its partnership with Freightliner has taken more than 320,000 trucks off U.K. roads in the last decade.
   “Over the course of the past 10 years, Freightliner has proven to us their commitment to both service quality and flexibility,” said Stephen Ng, OOCL’s director for corporate planning. “Their U.K. network and overnight services allow OOCL to provide customers with fast and efficient access to the U.K. hinterland.”