DHL and UTLC launch China-Europe rail freight forwarding partnership
Source:transportweekly 2014-4-2 11:20:00
DHL Global Forwarding is forming a partnership to develop rail forwarding services on the China-Europe route with the soon be incorporated United Transport and Logistics Company (UTLC), according to Shipping Gazette.
UTLC is a joint-venture between OJSC Russian Railways, JSC National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and State enterprise Belarusian Railway.
UTLC will operate as an integrated provider of logistics and container rail transportation services between Europe and China. DHL Global Forwarding signed a memorandum of understanding in Moscow in March with the project office of UTLC ahead of the official incorporation of UTLC.
"We need services that are frequent, fast and reliable in terms of both delivery times and pricing to develop rail forwarding on the China-Europe route with UTLC providing rail services in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan," said DHL.
DHL will provide third party logistics and door-to-door delivery in a "one-stop, one price service" in regular rail forwarding services between China and Europe of a container delivery time of three weeks door-to-door.
Said UTLC chief executive Zhanar Rymzhanova: "UTLC will be responsible for operating station-to-station rail service, including procurement of the rolling stock, and all related services on the route as well as pricing."
DHL Global Forwarding offers daily service from Shanghai, Tianjin or Qingdao and running along the trans-Siberian north corridor to Europe - with a slightly longer transit time compared to the west corridor, and a weekly China-Europe rail service using the Chengdu Express, the fastest between China and Europe.
The block train starts in Chengdu and runs along China's West corridor to DHL's intermodal hub in Malaszewicze and Lodz in Poland.
In January, DHL Global Forwarding introduced the first temperature-controlled China-Europe rail service. Powered by a diesel-electric engine, DHL containers allow internal temperatures to be controlled, tracked and remotely modified.