Kerry logistics launches new Europe-to-China LCL rail service

Rail service between China and Europe continues to add capacity, moving freight at lower costs than air, and faster than maritime modes. Shippers in industries such as fast fashion are starting to migrate away from air cargo, as the viability of rail networks increases between Southeast Asia, China and Europe.

Kerry Logistics, which already operates rail services between China and Europe, announced today the launch of a weekly scheduled less-than-container-load (LCL) railfreight service between Duisburg, Germany, and Shanghai. Transit times are 16 days for westbound cargo, and 21 days for eastbound.

This additional service option for east- and westbound shipments enhances Kerry Logistics’ existing full-container-load (FCL) and LCL services, using its own consolidation containers. The service offers weekly departures each Friday eastbound and Wednesday westbound. That’s small potatoes compared to the huge volumes moved on the ocean, and even by air, but as demand rises, Kerry could easily add more scheduled departures.

Thomas Blank, managing director of Europe for Kerry Logistics, explained that Kerry’s network density in Asia and Europe allowed the company to offer its customers a “cost-effective solution on this route for cargoes from industrial freight, down to smaller e-commerce commodities.”

Blank added that, “Acting as the consolidator ourselves allows us to offer shorter lead times, moving each shipment faster than if we had to wait for a full container from each customer, who can monitor their cargo along the route via online track and trace.”

Kerry Logistics recently invested in Globalink Logistics DWC, a freight forwarding group with a large footprint in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), where a large percentage of China-to-Europe freight transits. Kerry is also expanding its Eastern European operations, which when completed, will provide an almost end-to-end presence along its routes.