It is just a week after a new intermodal flow was inaugurated at Teesport. Now, shipping agents CLdN has announced a significant increase in their short-sea roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) service to the east coast port. CLdN intends to increase in frequency and freight capacity on its Zeebrugge-Teesport route. They say growing demand has prompted the commercial decision.
CLdN says their strengthened service will provide capacity for inland shipping to northern parts of the UK. The news comes just one week after a new intermodal rail service was launched from Teesport to Manchester Trafford Park. The increase will come into effect from the end of this month (February). CLdN says the improved availability will be achieved through a combination of adding an additional round trip sailing per week and by deploying higher capacity ships on the route.
Rebuild commercial interest
CLdN, the Luxembourg-based short sea and logistics combine, is engaged in an expansion drive (noted by WorldCargo News). The latest example is this month’s ramping up of services on their busy Zeebrugge-Teesport RoRo service. Routes, particularly RoRo and intermodal between Continental Europe and Great Britain, have suffered in recent years. Popular “land bridge” operations (using Great Britain as an overland shortcut to Ireland) lost popularity after “Brexit” – the UK withdrawal from the European Union.
However, some resolutions in the burdensome administration have helped rebuild commercial interest. CLdN is answering that renewed demand, and promoting their service as a direct and reliable access for freight to and from North East England and Scotland. It also helps that Teesport is proactively pursuing RoRo and intermodal traffic. The intermodal rail service, launched in collaboration with UK rail freight operator Direct Rail Services, set out on its own maiden voyage.
Ultra-low pocket wagons
The experimental part of the rail service revolves around using ultra-low “IDA” designated wagons – a design similar to the larger-scale pocket wagons deployed in North America. These wagons open up much of the gauge-restricted British network to the larger “high-cube” shipping containers. High-cube containers, which measure 9ft6ins (2.9m) in height compared with the standard 8’6” (2.6m). The IDA wagons are an existing design from British manufacturer WH Davis.
“This new service seeks to meet the demands of modern-day supply chains,” said Geoff Lippitt, PD Ports Group Commercial and Strategy Director. High-cube containers enable customers to reduce their environmental impact and increase cost efficiencies, says the port. The new Teesport-Manchester service, recently reported here by RailFreight.com, can also accommodate 45ft containers, further opening up the short sea shipping market for rail freight.
CLdN has been on an expansion drive of its own. The enhanced route will be served by the addition of two newly built RoRo ships.“CLdN continues to invest heavily in both its fleet and port infrastructure,” said Florent Maes, CEO of CLdN. “We are glad to see increased customer support for our freight routes from Zeebrugge to East Coast UK.”