DFDS Ghent as link between Mediterranean and Scandinavia

DFDS Mercatordock terminal in Ghent is an increasingly important hub for transport between Turkey/ Southern Europe and Scandinavia , with direct rail services between DFDS freight ferry routes.

From 11 March 2019 onwards , trains with trailers and containers from customers throughout Spain, Southern France , Italy and Turkey will arrive at the DFDS terminal in Ghent for sea transport to Sweden. In Barcelona, Le Boulou and Lyon, the trailers are transferred between road and rail, in Trieste between road and rail (Ital y) or ship and rail (Turk ey) .

“In any of these locations, existing as well as new customers will be able to transfer trailers and containers meant for Scandinavia onto rail wagons. The rail transport ends in the DFDS Terminal in Ghent, where the trailers will be directly transferred onto our freight ferry for sea transport to Gothenburg – and thus to our customers’ markets in Sweden, Norway and Finland,” says Sam de Wilde, Managing Director of DFDS Ferry Division in Ghent. “This naturally also links our Scandinavian customers’ with their markets in the Mediterranean, with a high frequency of 8 freight ferry sailings per week”

The rail link to Ghent became complete when Ghent was connected directly with the CFL railway hub in Bettembourg where trailers were taken to and from Ghent by road until now. “We will start with 5 connections per week”, says Sam.

Lifting ‘non-craneable trailers’ “For the connection between Trieste and Gent, we have procured a lifting system which allows us to lift any type of trailers onto the trains, including the so-called ‘non – craneable trailers’. This makes things easier for our customers, as there is no need to plan for a specific craneable trailer to benefit from the rail connections”, says Nicola Lelli, head of Intermodal DFDS.