Schenker first to provide rail at London Gateway

Both companies jointly announced yesterday (Monday 2nd July) that they had reached an agreement that will see the introduction of at least four rail freight services a day (four in, four out), subject to volumes, serving a range of inland terminals including potential new UK locations.

Additional rail freight services will be introduced in the future, with DB Schenker Rail pursuing the development of services from London Gateway to mainland Europe using the Channel Tunnel. The company will operate freight trains over 700 metres in length, among the longest in the UK, from its hub at the port, which, the company believes, could become the UK\’s busiest rail freight terminal.

Describing London Gateway as “the most significant logistics project in the intermodal sector”, Carsten Hinne, managing director Logistics for DB Schenker Rail UK, said, “London Gateway will be home to the largest rail freight terminal in the UK. The services which we will launch will be the first of many freight trains we will operate from the port, forming a strong network across the UK and mainland Europe for customers”.