The latest set of Freightliner Ltd’s newest order of innovative and award winning Ecofret wagons from VTG Rail UK has been delivered.
Freightliner, the launch customer for Ecofret, ordered 21 twin platform wagon sets from VTG in Spring 2014 and their delivery, which began in August, was completed in October. The arrival of the last wagon of this current order brings the freight haulier’s Ecofret fleet to 64 twins.
Keith Gray, Freightliner Ltd’s Commercial Director said: “Deep sea container growth in the UK has been, for some years now, driven by the 40ft market. By working closely with VTG, we have developed what we call the ‘Shortliner Service”, in order to meet that demand. The Ecofret wagons, used together with our 60ft wagon fleet, provide both a better 40ft/20ft mix and longer trains. It is great to see our planning and investment achieving positive results.”
Rob Brook, VTG’s managing director said “Ecofret is proving to be as popular as we had hoped. It is an ideal vehicle, designed to maximise the number of 40ft containers now predominant in the deep sea shipping market, that can be carried in a given train length.
“By using the capability of the centre platform of the Ecofret, in its triple platform configuration, to carry either one 40ft or two 20ft containers, or by mixing twin platform Ecofrets with existing 60ft wagons such as FEAs, as Freightliner are doing in this case, the wasteful 20ft gaps common on traditional intermodal trains are virtually eliminated.
“Meanwhile Ecofret’s track friendly bogies reduce the impact on the railway infrastructure meaning lower track access charges, as well as allowing improved fleet availability by going further between service intervals,” said Rob.
“As we predicted, it has started to change the economics of intermodal traffic in Britain.”
Note to editors:
This release was issued on behalf of VTG Rail UK by Woodhouse Communications.
Contact Woodhouse on 01444 221000 or email info@woodhousecommunications.co.uk for more information on the Ecofret or to arrange an interview with Rob Brook, VTG’s Managing Director.
VTG Rail UK, a subsidiary of VTG Aktiengesellschaft (SCN: VTG999), is one of Europe’s leading wagon hire and rail logistics companies.
The company has the largest private wagon fleet in Europe. Globally the fleet consists of about 50,000 rail freight cars with a focus on tank cars and state of the art high capacity freight cars and flat cars.
In addition to the hiring of wagons, the Group offers global tank container transport and comprehensive multi-modal logistics services mainly around rail transport.
With the combination of its three interrelated divisions Wagon Hire, Rail Logistics and Tank Container Logistics VTG offers its clients a high-performance platform for international transport of their freight.
The Group has many years of experience and specific know-how in particular in the transport of liquid and sensitive goods. Its customers include numerous well-known companies from almost all industrial sectors such as, for example, chemicals, mineral oil, the automobile or paper industries.