PSA Baltics N.V., a subsidiary of PSA International, has signed an agreement to acquire an 85 per cent majority stake in Loconi International S.A.
By developing new rail products to serve PSA’s European container hubs, this move seeks to give its clients more options for executing the road-to-rail modal shift.
PSA aims to expand its reach into new markets in Central and Eastern Europe and improve current hinterland linkages from the Baltic Hub Container Terminal in Gdansk, Poland.
The necessary authorities’ approval is still pending for the transaction.
READ: PSA, PIL test low-carbon end-to-end shipment
These corridors link the Ports of Gdansk and Gdynia on the country’s northern shore to its two independently run rail terminals in the country’s centre, Warsaw and Radomsko, as well as five third-party terminals located in the west, in Gadki and Poznan Franowo, and in the south, in Katy Wroclawskie, Dabrowa Gornicza, and Slawkow.
Baltic Hub – a joint venture between PSA, the Polish Development Fund (PFR) and IFM Investment Fund –is a rapidly expanding deep sea terminal in Gdansk, Poland. Its rail terminal currently handles more than 500 trains each month, providing critical container transport services through a number of independent partners within Poland with extensive connections across Central and Eastern Europe.
With the acquisition of Loconi, Baltic Hub is poised to supplement its rail product offerings originating from Gdansk, thereby fostering greater operational efficiencies and streamlined services to its partners, while continuing to operate as a multi-user rail terminal.
READ: PSA develops first hydrogen refuelling station in Port of Singapore
Vincent Ng, Regional CEO of PSA Europe & Mediterranean and PSA Middle East South Asia, said: “Loconi will play an important part in our Nodeto-Network strategy in going beyond terminal services and growing our role as a port ecosystem player, through the development of port-adjacent services, such as intermodal connectivity and digitalisation.”
Lidia Dziewierska, CEO of Loconi Intermodal stated: “We believe that PSA is an excellent partner to ensure that these Loconi values remain relevant and that all intermodal stakeholders take better advantage of the untapped potential of rail transport in this part of Europe.”
