News / DPW eyes 'sustainable European links' with new intermodal offerings

Duisburg Credit Hans Blossey.

Dubai-based DP World is to develop its European operations with a joint venture aggreement between two subsidiaries, road freight carrier P&O Ferrymasters and Unifeeder Shortsea.

DP World wants “to offer a link to consumers through a one-stop multimodal logistics solution” that will make “European supply chains efficient, fast and sustainable”.

Hot on the heels of its acquisition of Imperial Logistics, a South African company with an international logistics division based at Duisberg, DP World is looking to integrate its European operations.

Unifeeder Shortsea is to be consolidated under the P&O Ferrymasters brand to offer road, rail and shortsea services that can combine with the Imperial International rail and barge services.

Timm Niebergall, CEO of P&O Ferrymasters, said: “By joining forces we will establish a single brand for unique intra-European multimodal transport and logistics services.”

DP World says it can now offer rail and barge services at 95% of its European terminals, and major facilities at UK, Dutch and Belgian ports can link via rail and barge to the Black Sea port of Constanta in Romania, via a barge connection to Braila – a river island near the Ukraine/Moldova  border.

Constanta sends approximately 30% of cargo by rail to east European destinations, with logistics partners offering intermodal connections to avoid bottlenecks as Ukrainian freight has found a route out through the Romanian river and rail and port connections.

Moreover, DP World’s investment in rail infrastructure at its facility in Yarimca, Turkey links eastern Europe with the Middle East and Asia.

Rashid Abdulla, CEO of DP World – Europe, believes increased demand for express deliveries will continue as the raised expectations of consumers for rapid and sustainable deliveries need to be met.

“Building efficient networks through multimodal capabilities relies on lean port operations, where technology is used to provide transparency and forecasting for both merchant and operator, while expertise is imparted on product cycles and consumer demand,” said Mr Abdulla.