Press Release                            29 January 2010

RFG welcomes new rail transhipment hub

The Rail Freight Group (RFG) was pleased to attend the opening of Hupac’s new rail transhipment terminal at the port of Antwerp.

The HTA Hupac Terminal Antwerp is a €22m shared-user hub and has been co-funded by the Swiss government.

It has five tracks and can handle 12 trains a day up to 620metres in length, equal to around 600 truck loads, although in the initial phase, it will handle five train pairs per day to Basel/Aarau and Busto Arsizio.

Chairman of Hupac Hans-Jörg Bertschi said CO2 emissions were increasing across the transport sector and rail was the answer to tackling this, having the potential to reduce CO2 by 86% and energy by 71% compared with road.

He also called for more competition on rail and said stressed the importance of open access, for shunting services and infrastructure.

[ENDS]

Notes to editor

For further information please contact James Falkner, communications manager for the RFG, on 07950 535 886 or james@rfg.org.uk

About the Rail Freight Group (RFG)
The RFG has been the UK’s leading rail freight campaign group since its formation in 1991. It has more than 150 member companies, ranging from Maersk, the world's largest container shipping line, to high street retailer, Marks & Spencer.
Our members include customers, logistics providers, suppliers, terminal operators, ports and freight train operating companies.
RFG's aim is to promote cost effective rail solutions for freight, with a vision to see the sector attract a steadily increasing market share year on year.
RFG works hard in the interests of its members; to represent their views and provide a wide range of advice and information.
RFG is a company limited by guarantee and all revenue is ploughed back into providing services to members.
It was originally formed in 1991 to represent the views of those involved with the rail freight industry that were not British Rail.
The RFG seeks to achieve its objectives by organising meetings and visits, by responding to consultation papers and by lobbying government, European Institutions, the Office of Rail Regulation and Network Rail.
One of its major successes was the inclusion in the 1993 Railways Act of a duty on the government and Rail Regulator (now Office of Rail Regulation) to promote rail freight.
RFG also looks to involve the media in positive comment and news where possible, and publishes a newsletter, circulated to nearly 2,000 opinion-formers, generally every two months.