Grampet Group announces its first train on the Middle Corridor

Constanța, Romania (Ports Europe) June 6, 2022 - GRAMPET Group has announced the first train organized on the the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor. The train will have crossed China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, starting two weeks ago from Guiyang, China, and leaving Constanța Port yesterday for Budapest. TITR aims to develop a new multimodal transport corridor linking Asia to Europe. GRAMPET Group became the first European company to join TITR in September 2018. Subsequently, in June 2019, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NMSC Kazmortransflot LLP, the state naval operator of Kazakhstan, in order to open a regular connection between the ports of Constanța and Batumi. “Today we mark the culmination of efforts that began more than four years ago, by which we put Romania on the map of the largest infrastructure project in contemporary history,” said Gruia Stoica, President and founder of GRAMPET Group – Grup Feroviar Român. “Our joining TITR was a historic step both for us, as a regional leader of the rail freight industry, and also for Romania. I said then that this alliance could transform our country into a logistics platform for Europe and Asia, generating around 100,000 new jobs and more than €1 billion in contributions to the state budget", he added. The train left Guiyang with 41 40ft containers and covered the route China – Kazakhstan – Caspian Sea – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Black Sea – Romania – Hungary. GRAMPET Group organizes the railway transport on the Constanța – Bucharest – Craiova – Timișoara – Curtici – Budapest segment, through its operators Grup Feroviar Român and Train Hungary. Sorin Chinde, Vice President of the Transport Division within the GRAMPET Group, added: “We intend to introduce a regular container traffic from China that will transit Romania to Western Europe. We are currently focusing on the first test transports and solving logistical issues, such as the transit time on the Constanța – Curtici route, and the waiting time in the Curtici customs before crossing the border. The solutions we have at the moment will help us cover the Constanța – Budapest distance in 48 hours.” The Middle Corridor activation through the Constanța Port was one of the strategic objectives set by the GRAMPET Group when joining the TITR. The pandemic had temporarily blocked this project, but the current geopolitical and economic context, which is reshaping global distribution chains, has forced a rapid return and launch. Gruia Stoica commented: “The GRAMPET Group will continue to invest in this strategic route connecting Europe to China. We maintain our commitment to our partners in the TITR Association, but also to our business and logistics partners. It should be emphasized that the project can have a major economic potential for Romania and that it may drive the development of intermodal traffic both in the country, and in the region. In the current economic and geopolitical context, the Middle Corridor is a priority that I hope Romania will make the most of.” About GRAMPET Group Established more than 20 years ago, GRAMPET is the largest private rail freight and logistics operator in Romania and Southeast Europe. Its 16-company structure is strategically designed to span the entire chain of rail transport solutions and products. Its flagship company Grup Feroviar Român (GFR) is one of the main rail freight operators in Romania and Southeast Europe. Currently, over 20% of traffic is international, with GFR offering complex logistic solutions to rail sector customers. Copyright (C) Ports Europe. All Rights Reserved. 2022.

Grampet Group announces its first train on the Middle Corridor

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Grampet Group announces its first train on the Middle Corridor

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