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Issue 4 2019 - Freight Business Journal


///NEWS


to production facilities, reducing lead time and eliminating costly storage charges at Dublin Port. The increased use of rail is


International Warehousing and Transport (IWT) is to step up its intermodal rail


freight service


between Dublin Port and Ballina from seven to nine departures a week from mid-May. IWT started the service from


Dublin to Ballina in the west of Ireland with two services a week in August 2009, mainly to move concentrates to the factory of a well-known soſt drinks firm, which is still the mainstay of the operation. However additional customers from the medical,


retail and brewing industries in the area are now taking advantage of the service. Irish Rail is to spend €1m on


upgrading the Ballina terminal, which is used as a railhead for the West and North West of


Lords call for more clarity on post-Brexit transport


The government’s position on future arrangements to preserve UK-EU market access for hauliers remains unclear, said the House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub- committee in a report published on 21 May. The Brexit: road, rail and


maritime transport report said that in the absence of a comprehensive agreement, European Conference


of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permits and bilateral arrangements with individual Member States would facilitate some EU-UK road haulage, but the former will be insufficient to meet demand, while the latter would require negotiation. The report added: “Despite the importance of continued market access for hauliers, the Government has yet


Ireland and the adjacent IWT storage yard is used as a base for regular container transfers to Westport, Letterkennny, Tuam and Castlebar. The yard is used for buffer stock, allowing customers to store product close


to make its specific negotiating priorities clear. We urge the Government, in close consultation with the haulage industry, to do so now.” The report also noted that the UK has a strong interest in the maintenance of cabotage rights on the island of Ireland. For rail, the report continued:


“Government has made clear its intention not to seek an EU-wide agreement on rail, but instead to conclude bilateral agreements, and initially only those necessary


due primarily to the steadily increasing cost of fuel and truck driver wages over the last 12-18 months. Moreover, increased volumes through Dublin Port due to Brexit concerns has resulted in truck queues at terminals and increased congestion. The lower carbon footprint of rail transport is also encouraging some movement from the roads. IWT says that its services


operating from Dublin Port have had a 99% load factor whilst those from Ballina are also loading very well.


to maintain existing services.” However, it added the UK


is likely to need a wider set of agreements in future” and “should clarify if it intends to seek arrangements for the mutual recognition of


rail certifications


and licences with the EU aſter Brexit.” Maritime transport is largely


underpinned by international law, the report continued, and aſter Brexit UK and EU operators would generally be able to access each other’s ports as at present.


Peel buys Quality in Cheshire


Peel Ports has acquired Cheshire-based chartering and port services company Quality Freight for an undisclosed amount. It has a 40 acre multi modal facility at Ellesmere Port on the Manchester Ship Canal, where it operates six berths and has its own private rail siding. It is a major operator in the


windfarm and project freight sector, recently completing the logistics for Enercon’s windfarm project in mid Wales. The M53 and M56 motorways are a few yards from the port gate and it is the main point of entry for


various project contracts. Quality Freight also handles


regular containers on the BG Freight service on the canal. Commenting on the


acquisition, Peel Ports chief exective Mark Whitworth, said: “Our strategy is to be a leading UK provider of port centric logistics solutions. The acquisition of Quality Freight is an important step in extending the range of value added services beyond the core stevedoring and storage services typically offered by Peel Ports. We are looking to drive additional volume through our infrastructure and the Quality Freight business model will allow us to deliver that objective.” Sebastian Gardiner will


continue as managing director of the business which will continue to


trade under the Quality


Freight name. He commented: “I believe that this is an important milestone which will allow the Quality Freight business to both continue growing and allow it to explore other opportunities with existing and new customers.”


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