Covering all bases

Other confirmed speakers are Martin Koubek, Head of Silk Road at Metrans, Alexander Prahl, Head of Global Partnerships & Business Development at Tailwind and Janusz Kuzmicki, Shipping Director at Chipolbrok Gdynia. Moreover, Stephan Stiehler, Sales Director Intermodal at Konecranes and Anton Bernaerd, Business Development Director at Camco Technologies will bring their expertise regarding terminal equipment.

With such a diverse speaker panel, we want to touch upon all those elements that make a terminal the perfect intermediary between different transport modalities. From data standardisation and data sharing to automation and loading units, the European Cargo Experience will be an all-encompassing event and a must-attend for anyone in the transport and logistics industries.

The details

The event will be held at the Mercure Hotel Gdansk. On the first day (6 May), there will be an exclusive site visit to Baltic Hub followed by a special dinner at Canis, a marvelous location in the heart of the city. The second day (7 May) will feature the programme of the event, with insightful conferences and networking activities. Do not miss out, stay updated on the programme here and secure your spot for the European Cargo Experience here.

Tickets for the upcoming event will be available soon on the European Cargo Experience website. Other than the main programme planned for 7 May, there will be a site visit and a delicious networking dinner on 6 May. There will also be plenty of networking opportunities during the second day, as after the plenary there will be ample time to mingle with lunch and more activities planned.

The RF Magazine

The brand new European Cargo Experience will also be the perfect chance to get your hands on the upcoming second edition of the RF Magazine. After the first one focussed on Eurasian connectivity, this one will highlight the role of terminals and policies in Europe in the development of rail freight and intermodal services. If you are interested in establishing a partnership for the event or the magazine, you can contact our sales team!

Ultra-Large Container Vessels are a thing

Alliances at sea are nothing new. The Danish line was in bed with MSC until earlier this year. They jumped ship, as it were, and announced a new partnership – called Gemini – with their German neighbours Hapag-Lloyd.

The Gemini partnership dropped anchor last week, with a major splash. Our sister platform, WorldCargo News, broke the story. The Maersk side of the partnership has chosen to vacate their berths at Felixstowe. Instead, they will make London Gateway the UK hub for the Gemini Cooperation. That means that Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULVCs) will be sailing up the Thames instead of the River Orwell, as of 1 February 2025.

Rail freight options for last mile – even if it’s 100s of miles

These huge vessels carry enormous loads. ULVCs carry up to 12000 forty-foot containers, or 24000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalents). However, it’s probably a blessing in disguise that they do not generally sail port to port, with all that load for one destination. Instead, they are deployed on “trades” – routes around the world, picking up and depositing parts of their load along the way. It’s a maritime version of an old-style pickup goods train – except on the vast, global scale of modern trade logistics.

Nevertheless, that can still mean several thousand containers being discharged and loaded at each port call. These calls include big British ports like Felixstowe and London Gateway, as well as Tilbury, Southampton and Liverpool. Many smaller ports are also served by “Short-sea” transfers, using relatively smaller ships on shorter voyages, sometimes domestically between British ports. Increasingly, though, transfers within Great Britain are fulfilled by rail freight options – notably the Southampton to London Gateway working, or some longer hauls, like Tilbury to Grangemouth, for example.

Training by: the shipping forecast

London Gateway, owned by DP World (global rivals to Felixstowe owners Hutchison) has made no secret of their rail freight ambitions. The Dubai company recently announced plans to double capacity at the port on the Thames, with the development of a brand new rail terminal. Clearly, the Gemini move will go a long way to justifying that investment. The speculation is that the intentions of the new partnership may well have been more than an influence.

The impact on rail freight traffic from Felixstowe will be immediate. It may not necessarily be long-lasting. London Gateway’s stated ambition to become the busiest rail freight port in the UK will leap forward, but it may not have won the race just yet. Here is the Shipping Forecast for rail freight: Swell in the Thames area. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, merged to give longer periods of Gemini. South from Felixstowe, rising around London Gateway. Intermodal traffic falling, then rising at new location. Outlook: Uncertain.

Dynamic cooperation

WorldCargo News journal, together with its website and newsletters, is recognised for its comprehensive coverage and in-depth analysis of the cargo handling, port & terminal, container and intermodal sectors and will complement ProMedia Group’s portfolio of publications in this area. The integration of these two influential entities will lead to even stronger insights into the dynamic and evolving world of global trade and transportation.

“We are honoured to welcome WorldCargo News into the ProMedia family,” said Arie van Dijk, CEO of ProMedia Group. “This acquisition strengthens our position as an international logistic news provider, allowing us to deliver even more valuable news to our audience. This will help us to move the transport and logistics market forward.”

Under ProMedia Group’s stewardship, WorldCargo News and its team will continue its legacy of delivering timely, accurate, and industry-relevant news and analysis. The collaboration will enable synergies that benefit readers, advertisers, stakeholders, and the broader business community.