ON THE RIGHT TRACKS
P&O Ferrymasters and ERS extend strategic partnership
Two of the biggest names in the movement of freight across Europe have renewed a strategic pact that will see increased rail consignments travelling between the UK and southern Europe from January 2007.
European freight management specialists P&O Ferrymasters has signed a new three year deal with ERS (European Rail Shuttle), a business that has capitalised upon the de-regulation of the European rail infrastructure and carries in excess of one billion tonnes of freight per year. The agreement will see increased movements between the UK to Rotterdam and then onwards via ERS to Melzo and Padova in Italy, two strategic hubs close to Milan and Venice.
The deal has been renewed in part because of ERS’s proactive approach to protecting Ferrymasters’ 45 ft containers with the investment in anti-theft bars that make it impossible for thieves to force entry.
For the previous two years Ferrymasters has run 11 trains per week from Rotterdam to Melzo and four to Padova, but the new year will see an increase of this traffic to 16 weekly journeys to Melzo and five to Padova to meet increased demand for rail alternatives, a situation caused by lack of trucking capacity in the market and the competitiveness of rail solutions in both quality and price
On the return movements, consignments of everything from white goods to wine travel into the UK directly through P&O Ferries, Ferrymasters’ parent company.
P&O Ferrymasters is also saving customers time and money with the new movements by processing consignments via its Rail Service Centre which will cut one hour of trucking within the port of Rotterdam from the journey.
ERS will handle around 50 per cent of all of Ferrymasters’ movements into Italy as part of a dedicated solution that has been developed in tandem with DFDS Containers which The combined volume gives the rail operator sufficient base volume to run such a high number of weekly departures.
“Over the last two years ERS has provided a tailored and dedicated solution for us and it is based upon this excellent service that we have signed this new agreement,” says Bart Verbeke, P&O Ferrymasters’ director of Intermodal Services.
“There is an increasing demand for intermodal activity and we require reliable partners to help deliver on the promise to our customers in Europe,” he adds.
Frans Zoetmulder, Managing Director from ERS says: “Rail is playing a more significant part in the mix of modes of freight transport and P&O Ferrymasters and DFDS Containers are two of the forward-looking organisations that are exploiting this cost effective solution. This is why we have managed to develop such a strong relationship with P&O Ferrymasters and its parent organisation P&O Ferries.”
European freight management specialists P&O Ferrymasters has signed a new three year deal with ERS (European Rail Shuttle), a business that has capitalised upon the de-regulation of the European rail infrastructure and carries in excess of one billion tonnes of freight per year. The agreement will see increased movements between the UK to Rotterdam and then onwards via ERS to Melzo and Padova in Italy, two strategic hubs close to Milan and Venice.
The deal has been renewed in part because of ERS’s proactive approach to protecting Ferrymasters’ 45 ft containers with the investment in anti-theft bars that make it impossible for thieves to force entry.
For the previous two years Ferrymasters has run 11 trains per week from Rotterdam to Melzo and four to Padova, but the new year will see an increase of this traffic to 16 weekly journeys to Melzo and five to Padova to meet increased demand for rail alternatives, a situation caused by lack of trucking capacity in the market and the competitiveness of rail solutions in both quality and price
On the return movements, consignments of everything from white goods to wine travel into the UK directly through P&O Ferries, Ferrymasters’ parent company.
P&O Ferrymasters is also saving customers time and money with the new movements by processing consignments via its Rail Service Centre which will cut one hour of trucking within the port of Rotterdam from the journey.
ERS will handle around 50 per cent of all of Ferrymasters’ movements into Italy as part of a dedicated solution that has been developed in tandem with DFDS Containers which The combined volume gives the rail operator sufficient base volume to run such a high number of weekly departures.
“Over the last two years ERS has provided a tailored and dedicated solution for us and it is based upon this excellent service that we have signed this new agreement,” says Bart Verbeke, P&O Ferrymasters’ director of Intermodal Services.
“There is an increasing demand for intermodal activity and we require reliable partners to help deliver on the promise to our customers in Europe,” he adds.
Frans Zoetmulder, Managing Director from ERS says: “Rail is playing a more significant part in the mix of modes of freight transport and P&O Ferrymasters and DFDS Containers are two of the forward-looking organisations that are exploiting this cost effective solution. This is why we have managed to develop such a strong relationship with P&O Ferrymasters and its parent organisation P&O Ferries.”