Spain starts pilot train test to transport Ukrainian grain

Spain has sent 25 40- foot containers to transport 600 tons of Ukrainian grain by train, in a new pilot project, as reported on August 10, Report informs referring to EuroWeeklyNews.

Spain’s latest Ukrainian grain transportation project by train has been organised by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) as an alternative or complement to the maritime mode at a time marked by the invasion of Russia and the limitations in the Black Sea ports.

This is a pilot test with which the Ministry seeks to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of rail transport of cereal through the rail motorway that crosses Europe from Lodz (Poland) to Barcelona Can Tunis (Spain).

Specifically, the outbound traffic is Madrid – Ludwigshafen – Duisburg – Lodz – Chelm, while the return traffic is Chelm – Lodz – Duisburg – Barcelona Can Tunis via the rail motorway, which involves a journey of approximately 2,400 kilometers.

The transport logistics are planned to be carried out between the Ukraine and Spain, with the goods being transferred in Chelm (Poland), 25 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

The containers, whose interior has been adapted with “liners” (large special bags for transporting grain) left the Abroñigal station in Madrid last night bound for the Polish town of Chelm, where they are expected to arrive in the fourth week of August.

There, the goods will be transferred to Renfe Mercancías containers for subsequent transfer to the terminal used by the logistics operator Kombiverker, in Lodz.

The transfer between Lodz and Chelm is carried out by the Polish rail operator DBP.

Once the containers have been loaded, the train will run on standard gauge (UIC) from Lodz to Barcelona Can Tunis, as the final rail destination. From the Barcelona terminal, the goods will be transported to the end customer. The arrival forecast is for the beginning of September.