May 2008

Incident drill

ERS Railways together with R.M.I. International took part in an incident drill which occurred May 14 2008. Both were invited by the Rotterdam Fire Department to participate in a car crash accident with a locomotive and as a result a leaking tank container.

April 2008

Railz Miniworld open for public

On 29 March 2008 it was one year ago that Ivo Opstelten, Major of Rotterdam, officially opened the biggest indoor miniature rail exhibition in The Netherlands. Since its opening , Railz Miniworld has expanded from 200m2 to 280m2. Begin 2009 the new “ Wereldstad Rotterdam “ exhibition, with a surface of 190m2 , will be opened. As one of the sponsors, ERS Railways is very proud of these milestones.

For a full press release and photo's please click on this link www.railzminiworld.nl


March 2008

Hector Rail and ERS Railways sign new agreement

Hector Rail and ERS Railways have signed an agreement for rail transports between Gävle and Göteborg. The transports consist of containers and link Gävle with global shipping routes. The period of the agreement is three years with an option for an additional two years. Initially, two trains per week will be operated but the parties hope to increase this frequency.

Tetra Pak has entrusted Maersk to handle a major portion of its transportation of cardboard produced in Gävle for further shipment to Tetra Pak’s customers around the world. To be able to carry out this undertaking, Maersk needed a land connection between Gävle and the Port of Göteborg that fulfilled the stipulated demands for cost efficiency and quality. Maersk commissioned ERS Railways to create such a transport solution.

After careful market and service level evaluation Hector Rail was chosen as the traction provider for their excellent proven track record.

Service has already begun.

Picture taken in Gävle from the initial test runs.

Purchase of two shunters

Hector Rail AB is an independent line haul provider, active in Scandinavia and Germany. Independent means that Hector Rail is not associated with any State or other transport entity.

To make the ERS Railways operations possible Hector Rail has invested in two small two axle shunters.

Hector Rail currently produces about 10,000 train-kilometres daily. Hector Rail’s locomotive fleet currently consists of 25 locomotives, but an additional six have been ordered for delivery during 2008.

February 2008

New shuttle to Bologna

ERS Railways gladly announces expansion of its Pan-European network with a new intermodal shuttle service between Rotterdam and Bologna, Italy.

The new service, commencing March 4, will run 3 times per week between Rail Service Centre in Rotterdam and Interporto Terminal in Bologna and vice versa. Connections are also available to Rotterdam Short Sea Terminals North & South as well as Hanno Uniport piers 5, 6 & 7 in Rotterdam.


January 2008

Mark Harbers visited ERS Railways

On Thursday 24th of January 2008 Mark Harbers (Alderman Economy, Port and Enviroment of the Rotterdam City Town Hall) visited ERS Railways. After a presentation of ERS Railways activities and discussion, Mark Harbers accompanied Harold de Groot on a ERS Railways train to the Maasvlakte.

December 2007

Kinderen kleuren de Betuweroute!

Op rangeerterrein Kijfhoek zijn acht winnaars van de Rail Cargo tekenwedstrijd verblijd met hun tekening op de zijkant van een locomotief van ITL, ERS, ACTS en Rail4chem.

Naar aanleiding van de opening van de Betuweroute op 16 juni 2007, heeft Rail Cargo information Netherlands een tekenwedstrijd georganiseerd. Kinderen uit gemeenten gelegen langs de Betuweroute kregen de kans om hun beeld te schetsen van het spoorvervoer. Het leverde een kleurrijk resultaat op.

De deelname-formulieren voor de wedstrijd zijn de afgelopen maanden verspreid in de containerbios, een speciale mobiele bioscoop die alle gemeentes langs de Betuweroute heeft aangedaan. Hierin werd een bijzondere film getoond over het totstandkomen van de Betuweroute.
Directeur Max Philips van Rail Cargo information Netherlands:” De tekenwedstrijd is werkelijk uniek, de kindertekeningen met een afbeelding van een goederentrein zijn nu uitvergroot op de zijkant van de locomotief geplakt. De komende maanden kunnen de winnende kinderen hun tekening langs zien rijden over de Betuweroute”

De railgoederenvervoerders, de eigenaren van de locomotieven, reageerden enthousiast op de tekenwedstrijd en de meeste van hen hebben direct een locomotief beschikbaar gesteld. Veel kinderen en ook scholen hebben aan de tekenwedstrijd meegedaan en in totaal ontving Rail Cargo zo’n 350 tekeningen.

Max Philips:”Het is mooi om te zien hoe kinderen telkens weer een andere invulling hebben gegeven aan een goederentrein. Speelgoed, eten, dieren en kleding waren veel terugkomende elementen in de tekeningen. Als je die trotse kopjes ziet dan realiseer je je dat het spoorvervoer niet een eigen wereld is,  maar midden in de maatschappij staat!”.


October 2007

Keyrail initieert inzameling voor het goede doel

Keyrail, de exploitant van de Betuweroute, heeft tijdens de open dag van de Johan Cruyff Foundation een cheque ter waarde van € 100.000,- aan Johan Cruyff overhandigd. De allereerste rit van de Betuweroute heeft initiator Keyrail benut om geld in te zamelen voor een goed doel in Nederland. Vanuit het bedrijfsleven, o.a. ERS, was er veel interesse om aan deze ‘openingsrit’ deel te nemen. De trein was speciaal door Keyrail samengesteld, met als doel een substantieel bedrag voor de Johan Cruyff Foundation in te zamelen.

De Johan Cruyff Foundation steunt sportprojecten voor kinderen met en zonder handicap in Nederland en daarbuiten. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, een van de twee directeuren van Keyrail, over de donatie aan dit goede doel: “Keyrail is een jonge en jeugdige organisatie en krijgt de kans een mooi, succesvol bedrijf neer te zetten. Keyrail wil door middel van deze donatie een soortgelijke kans aan de jeugd doorgeven.” Cees Tommel, mededirecteur van Keyrail, voegt hier aan toe: “Het bedrijfsleven heeft vertrouwen in Betuweroute. Daarom zijn wij in staat geweest om alle betrokken partijen te interesseren en een aanzienlijke bijdrage aan de Johan Cruyff Foundation te laten leveren.

Keyrail haalde een bedrag van € 100.000,- op bij de 40 deelnemers die aan deze eerste rit participeerden. Hieronder vielen onder andere railgoederenvervoerders, verladers, rederijen, operators en transporteurs.

De open dag van de Cruyff Foundation staat zoals altijd in het teken van bewustwording en integratie, waarbij kinderen met en zonder beperking de mogelijkheid wordt geboden om samen te sporten en te spelen. Als altijd was Johan Cruyff gastheer van deze dag en er was een recordaantal ambassadeurs aanwezig.


August 2007

Hans Smits drives ERS train

On Friday 17th August, Hans Smits, the President and CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, visited ERS Railways.

After a tour at the ECT, Smits drove, in close cooperation with our driver Martin Speksnijder, train 41751 with destination Germersheim from the ECTW to the RSC in the Waalhaven.

As an experienced driver Hans drove the train in the right slot to the Waalhaven terminal, where he arrived ahead of schedule time.


July 2007

PERSBERICHT

Rotterdam, 11 juli 2007

‘Railvervoerders slaan de handen ineen’

Om de congestie op het spoor in het Rotterdamse havengebied tegen te gaan en daarmee de terminalcapaciteit beter te benutten heeft een aantal railvervoerders besloten de handen ineen te slaan. Vanaf 1 juli 2007 zullen de railvervoerders onderling locomotieven met machinist ter beschikking stellen om treinstellen die in de weg staan te verplaatsen.

Frans Zoetmulder, directeur van ERS Railways, namens de betrokken railvervoerders: ‘Het komt regelmatig voor dat een goederentrein van een railvervoerder in de weg staat, daar deze op dat moment geen locomotief beschikbaar heeft om de goederentrein te verplaatsen. Dat leidt tot onnodige wachttijden. Wij hebben nu afgesproken, dat een ter plekke aanwezige locomotief van de ene railvervoerder het treinstel van de andere railvervoerder mag verplaatsen naar een plek waar het treinstel niet in de weg staan. Deze samenwerking is uniek te noemen, omdat tot op heden vervoerders elkaars treinen niet mochten verplaatsen’

June 2007

Container train connects 3 continents over 12,229 km
ERS connects China by rail with Europe

Prague, 15 June – European Rail Shuttle (ERS) is once again responsible for a new achievement which will go down in the railway history book. The first container train from Shenzhen (China) delivered fifty-two 40’ containers with computer components to one of its customers in Pardubice, near Czech Republic’s capital Prague. This unique transport took only 17 days to reach its destination; more than twice as fast as by sea. ERS expects that the success of this new transport may be the beginning of a new regular service between China and Europe.

“We are not the first operators driving this route by rail”, advises ERS’ director Frans Zoetmulder. “Deutsche Bahn already drove some trial trains, but this is the first time that an import train crossed from China to Europe.” ERS executed this unique service together with its sister companies Trans Siberian Express Service (TSES) in Russia and Tie Yang transportation (TMT) in China. Also the railway companies of the countries the train had to cross, including China, Mongolia, Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic, have been very cooperative.

Major time saving
Intercontinental container transport by rail can offer a good alternative to sea transport. “Surely with the current congestion, rail transport could be an interesting new alternative”, Zoetmulder states. “Although the transport costs are surely higher than these of sea freight, a vast time saving can be accomplished by carrying the cargo over land. Rail may be a very good alternative for the “sea-air concept.”

The joint pilot was six months in the making with many obstacles to be overcome, such as different rail gauges between the transit countries which required trans-loading to different trains twice, customs clearance at six different border crossings, and train length limitations in Europe, requiring the train be split into two portions for its final leg into Pardubice.

ERS appreciates the cooperation of the customs, the railways the terminals and the other rail authorities of the countries along the 12,229 km long route. “All in all, we are very content with the way this transport was handled”, claims Zoetmulder. “The success of this alternative route will surely attract other volumes.”



June 2007

Transport logistic Fair for ERS was a great success

Transport logistic 2007 reflects booming business in the sector – new records

Total 47,000 trade visitors: + 18 percent | 1,580 exhibitors: + 19 percent | 86,000 square metres of space: + 15 percent

Globalisation and booming business in the sector have been reflected in full at transport logistic 2007. This 11th International Trade Fair for Logistics, Telematics and Transport, which took place between 12 and 15 June 2007, attracted 47,000 trade visitors from 113 countries. This is a rise of 18 percent over the last transport logistic trade fair.

“Transport logistic has recorded impressive growth in the numbers of exhibitors and visitors, and in exhibition space. It addressed all the trend themes – across international borders – that are affecting the sector,” said Eugen Egetenmeir, a Member of the Management Board of Messe München. Michael Kubenz, President of the Deutscher Speditions- und Logistikverband (DSLV) and Chairman of the Advisory Board of transport logistic, commented: “Logistics is in the overtaking lane worldwide. Never before has transport logistic had so many visitors, never before has this event been so international in scope.” This was also confirmed by the exhibitors side: “transport logistic has visibly achieved its goal of being the world´s leading trade fair for the sector,” confirmed Detthold Aden, President of the BLG Logistics Group.

After Germany, the top ten countries of origin among the visitors were (in number order): Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, France, Belgium, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Slovenia. There was a noticeable rise in interest from the countries of east and southeastern Europe, and from the Middle East.

June 2007

ERS at Transport Logistic fair in Munich

Transport Logistic presents the entire world of transport at a glance. Logistics and telematics, inhouse transport and material flows as well as freight transport. With its special overall concept, transport logistics illustrates the extensive networking and interactions between these fields. At the same time, it gives the qualified public the chance of direct discussions with the exhibitors. The aim of the fair is to present practical experiences of the very complex sector of transportation, on road and rail, on water and in the air.

European Rail Shuttle invites you to join us at our stand, Hall B6, stand 305/ 404.


February 2007

New appointment

The Supervisory Board of European Rail Shuttle appointed Alan J. Gibson, formerly Director Area Operations with Maersk Line, as Managing Director of ERS effective 1 February 2007.

Alan Gibson has held various senior positions in finance, strategic planning, infrastructure development and operations in Sea-Land Service, APM Terminals and Maersk Line since joining Sea-Land in 1974.

Frans Zoetmulder, former ERS MD, transferred to the position of Chief Commercial Officer on 1 February.


February 2007

ERS also active on the Belgian tracks

On 8th February 2007 ERS Railways, received the security certificate from the Belgian infrastructure manager Infrabel which makes it possible to run its own trains on the Belgian rail network.
The process for the application was handled very rapidly. “After only four months we already obtained the safety certificate”.
After Rotterdam, Bremerhafen and Hamburg, Zeebrugge will be the fourth largest sea port which will be connected to the ERS network.
ERS will start its services in the cause of 2007. First trains will drive from Zeebrugge to Melnik, near Prague.





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