Maersk has launched regular rail services from Russia’s main ports to Moscow operated in partnership with major rail operators. The weekly services are run from FCT and PLP in St. Petersburg, UKCS in Ust-Luga, NUTEP in Novorossiysk, and VSC in Vostochny to the rail stations of Selyatino, Kresty, Vorsino and Khovrino in Moscow and its vicinities.
The station of destination depends on the route of the block train, from there, truck delivery to the consignee in Moscow and Moscow Region is possible.
Maersk started the service in a test mode in the first half of the year. now they are operated on a regular basis with trains from FCT and PLP departing on Saturdays, and from ULCT and NUTEP on weekend. The transit time to Moscow is 48 hours from St. Petersburg, Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk, and 11-12 days from Vostochny.
The new routes are integrated into Maersk’s global network and offer lower costs throughout the supply chain guaranteeing timely delivery and schedule reliability, a spokesperson for the company told SeaNews. With the new services, a customers in any country of the world can have their cargo delivered to Central Russia.
The current monthly container traffic is some 120 FEU, the commodities carried include all sorts of goods from ceramics and equipment to tea.
Maersk intends to further expand their service geography and increase the frequency of port-to-hinterland rail services in Russia.