SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED THE FIRST LOADED BLOCK TRAIN
FROM RIJEKA TO BUDAPEST

After several years of work and two years of intensive promotion of the railway line Zagreb - Budapest, on 05.09.2011. started first loaded block train on the route Rijeka - Budapest

As far back as the middle of 2009. through various presentations and meetings in Rijeka, Budapest and at various exhibitions such as this year's Logistic Fair in Munich, we presented the advantages of this route over other routes from the north Adriatic ports. Of course they were frequent and commercial discussions with potential customers, especially large shippers and forwarders on the Croatian side and the Hungarian side. There also were held many constructive meetings with representatives of the customs of Croatia as well as with representatives of the Hungarian Customs.

An important role in the promotion, organization as well as commercialization of the above mentioned direction have played all of the participants in the chain.
The terminal operator Adriatic Gate Container Terminal as a member of a new strategic partner and majority owner of ICTS Group of Manila, particularly supported by the management and employees of the Port of Rijeka, which have introduced a new organization at the terminal and headed to the extension of the same and they also increase the draft at the port to 14,5 m in order. be able to dock large boats

Railway carrier HŽ Cargo, who had a great support of the President of the Board and with the excellent cooperation with the Hungarian Railways RCH offered the best prices on the specified route. They also made a special timetable for the specified block-train which provides a very fast transit time on the given route. Extremely important is to note that for this purpose with an existing wagon park especially for this purpose, there were reconstructed and restored in RŽV Čakovec additional 80-Lgs-z cars designed exclusively for the transport of containers.

The operator of combined transport Crokombi and Hungaria Intermodal, which represent an important link between the railway and the users of the service, held jointly and seperatly numerous meetings with shippers, forwarders, as well as with other potential users of this service

Although most of the shipping companies, which decide of the port where their ship will sail, mainly used the ports of Koper and Trieste for goods intended for the Hungarian market, Maersk decided to break the ice first and the vessel CMA CGM Maupassant (length 300 m, a width of 40 m, capacity of 6572 TEU) went to Rijeka with its loaded containers to Budapest.

The ship was anchored on Saturday 03.09.2011. at 22:00, and after successfully unloading containers on Sunday 09/04/2011. sailed away. On Monday, 05.09.2011. the containers were loaded on wagons and prepared to set up a train of total length of 491,28 meters and grossweight of 1.238,7 tons. The train started in the same evening at 21:00 hours, and without any problems or delays reached its destination in Budapest on Wednesday 07/09/2011 at 8:40 a.m. in 35 hours and 40 minutes.

Finally after many years happened the first commercial block train between Rijeka - Budapest, in which all participated and demonstrated that it is as well possible without so-called "little problems". It is to be expected, which is already in the announcemnts of other customers, that other routes to Slovakia and the Czech Republic, will be referred to stabilize the transport to and from the port of Rijeka to become equal in the northern Adriatic, and will strengthen as well the rail transport in shipments from Rijeka.