Intercontainer uses alternative to Halkali in Turkey transport
European-Turkey Container-Express of ICF ends in Cerkezköy Since the severe thunderstorm catastrophy on 10 September in the region of Istanbul Intercontainer-Interfrigo (ICF) handles its “ETCE European-Turkey Container-Express“ between western Europe and Turkey at the terminal Cerkezköy. “Despite tight spatial conditions the operative process on the location situated around 80 kilometres in the west of Halkali got managed well by now“, explains Konstantinos Papadopoulos, Director Operations of Intercontainer. At the moment the Intercontainer employees of the representative office in Halkali, who temporarily work in Cerkezköy, handle three import- and three export block trains per week. In order to increase throughput capacity at the terminal, an additional mobile crane has been put into operation since 17 September. Mr. Papadopoulos asked the disposition units of the customers to keep a continuous dialogue with ICF and to collect their freight units within 24 hours. This measure is indispensable for being able to render a service that meets the requirements, the ICF-spokesperson emphasises. In the meantime customers have accepted the new situation, explains Jochen Weber, Director Marketing at Intercontainer. After some struggling in the beginning the new processes are well coordinated. The quality control that is carried out in tight cooperation with the partner Turkish railway (TCDD) starts also to show its effects. The longer pre and on carriage on the road between Cerkezköy and Istanbul as well as the Turkish economic centres in the Asian region still show negative effects on the cost calculations of the customers, reports Mr. Weber. Nevertheless transportations have not yet been re-shifted to the road or towards shortsea, “because customers and shippers show themselves quite understanding in view of the exceptional situation.” The terminal in Istanbul Halkali shall start fully operating by mid-October according to statements from Turkey. However, repair works of the strongly damaged railtracks might take longer than anticipated, although TCDD puts all its available forces and means into its work. “The handling of combined transport via Cerkezköy is still to be continued for a limited duration“, ICF headquarters announced in a press release. Quelle: Österreichische Verkehrszeitung |