PSA Antwerp and Antwerp-based rail terminal Combinant have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an integrated service to optimise the connectivity between PSA’s Deepsea Terminals and Combinant Rail Terminal in the Port of Antwerp.
This streamlined corridor aims to facilitate a modal shift from road to rail, thereby enhancing maritime intermodal rail solutions at the Port of Antwerp.
As businesses increasingly seek fast, cost-effective, and sustainable transport options for their products between the deepsea port and the respective hinterlands, the shift from road to rail has become a valuable alternative, reported PSA Antwerp.
PSA’s new trucking service will link its two deepsea terminals on the right bank of the River Scheldt (Noordzee and Europa Terminal) to the Combinant rail terminal in the north of the Port of Antwerp.
Through the Combinant-Duisburg rail connection operated by HUPAC, this service connects PSA’s Antwerp terminals to the Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT) in the Ruhr area.
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Since November 2024, HUPAC has rerouted its trains to DGT, enabling direct bookings for maritime cargo to destinations including Schkopau, Schwarzheide, Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, Ploiesti, Starà Zagora, Pančevo, and Istanbul.
Additionally, rail operators at Combinant now offer connections to key European logistics hubs like Ludwigshafen, Bettembourg, Milan, Verona, Barcelona, and Madrid.
To reduce carbon emissions, PSA and HUPAC are exploring the use of electric trucks (eTrucks) for this corridor, following successful tests with Mercedes-Benz and Volvo eTrucks in 2023.
Edward Tah, Managing Director of PSA Belgium, commented: “At PSA, we are committed to continuously enhancing the hinterland connectivity of our terminals, offering more multimodal, efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to our customers.
“Our partnership with Combinant aligns with PSA Group’s strategic vision of expanding our services and product portfolio into the hinterland, as exemplified by our investment in the newly opened Duisburg Gateway Terminal and the announced acquisition of Polish intermodal operator Loconi Intermodal S.A.”
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Ben Beirnaert, General Manager Combinant N.V., said: “By integrating maritime and continental volumes on trains, we have the optimal solution for the future. At Combinant, we see immense potential in this partnership with PSA Antwerp.
“We already offer more than 10 direct train destinations across Europe, available to the PoAB community. The only way forward is to collaborate with all stakeholders to achieve a modal shift across all volumes.”
