World rail freight news round-up

Lithuania’s LTG Cargo has called tenders for the supply of 200 new 1 520 mm gauge open wagons for the transport of aggregates and other weather-resistant loads from 2025. This would increase its transport capacity by 0·7 million tonnes/year, and support the construction of Rail Baltica.

KiwiRail‘s Fairfield intermodal hub was officially opened on April 19. ’Mid-Canterbury is a base for moving significant container volumes to South Island ports and around New Zealand, whether it’s grain, seed, horticultural produce or meat’, said Chief Executive Peter Reidy. ‘However, our existing container terminal in central Ashburton was too small to meet today’s freight demand. Working with the Wareing Group to move operations to Fairfield, and with support from the Ashburton District Council and central government, we will increase the amount of local freight carried by rail from 6 000 containers to 20 000 containers a year.’

Union Pacific has published its annual Building America Report, highlighting safety and sustainability achievements including a 15% year-on-year reduction in serious injuries from 2022, a 6% decline in the reportable derailment rate, and a 19% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 absolute greenhouse gas emissions since 2018.

GB Railfreight has launched five trains a week connecting Southampton to Hams Hall, the first time it has run an intermodal service from the UK’s second-largest deep sea port to the West Midlands.

On April 26 USD Partners completed the sale of the Stroud rail terminal in Oklahoma to a third party buyer.

CN is to use the net proceeds from a public debt offering of C$700m 4·60% Notes due 2029 and C$550m 5·10% Notes Due 2054 for general corporate purposes, which may include the redemption and refinancing of outstanding indebtedness, share repurchases, acquisitions and other business opportunities.

Cargo-partner has extended its participation in Hamburger Hafen & Logistik’s HHLA Pure initiative which offers climate-neutral transport through the use of modern hybrid and electric locomotives and electrified processes at container terminals, with unavoidable CO₂ emissions offset through certified development projects.

OmniTRAX has promoted SVP Corporate Strategy Nathan Brown to EVP Strategy & Corporate Development, leading the group’s acquisitions, research, strategy and oversight of its railway real estate. ‘As rail continues to power our nation’s evolving supply chains, it’s important that we cultivate new generations of leadership that bring dynamic perspectives to shape our long-term strategy’, said CEO Dean Piacente.

The port of New Orleans has announced a 10-year consolidated lease arrangement with The Kearney Companies covering four transit sheds and a storage facility served by the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad.