Panalpina is on track between Asia and Europe
On an information event last week in Vienna, Panalpina presented a new rail solution to the Far East. The product called Rail Asia <> Europe is in the initial stage. Integrating the railway, the group now offers FCL and LCL transportations between Asia and Europe.
Comparing the costs for rail and sea freight shows that the difference is becoming smaller between the price per kilogram of freight forwarded by rail and sea, respectively, calculated Günter Haidinger, Country Head of Marketing & Sales Austria at Panalpina. The Rail Service includes also FCL/LCL shipments to/from China, onward carriage, customs clearance and LCL handling analogue to sea freight.
Over the last few years, rail services that link Asia with Europe – such as the New Silk Road (south corridor) or the Trans-Siberian Line (north corridor) – have become an important alternative to air and ocean freight transportation. From 2014 to 2016, Panalpina’s rail volumes from China to Europe tripled and many major shippers now transport sizeable volumes by rail. The service is particularly attractive for customers in the automotive, manufacturing, technology as well as retail and fashion industries. One of the biggest customers for block trains comes from the automotive industry – the German car manufacturer BMW.
Transport by rail still has the lowest CO2 emission level, which is in line with the reduction target of the company for 2025. Panalpina has a clearly defined budget for greenhouse gas emissions for the years 2013 to 2025. It was calculated independently and based on science. Panalpina’s reduction targets are in line with what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is necessary to keep global warming below a dangerous threshold.