Operail to launch container train route between Sillamae, Tartu

In August 2018, the company launched the Muuga-Tartu-Muuga container train route. By now, some 15,000 tons of goods have been carried by container train between Muuga and Tartu, most of which was made up of wood products, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications said.

"We are currently carrying an average of 200 containers per month on both directions, which means that we are reducing the burden on roads by 400 trucks," Operail CEO Raul Toomsalu said.

"A second route, Sillamae-Tartu-Sillamae, will be launched at the beginning of February and, thus, domestic container trains will start servicing two very important ports," the head of the rail cargo operator said.

Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Kadri Simson visited the company's loading station in Tartu on Friday and said that goods are moving increasingly from Estonian roads onto railways and this tendency has a positive impact on the security of road traffic.

"Every ton of goods that is carried by rail instead of by trucks reduces the burden of heavy traffic on roads and reduces the number of dangerous overtaking," Simson said. "The movement of goods by rail is also significantly more environmentally friendly than doing so by road," the minister added.

According to the head of Operail, the company's plans for this year include the realization of the second stage of the development of the Tartu loading area. "The loading area will start functioning as a recognized container depot, where both import and export containers will be handled without taking them to port in the meantime -- this, in turn, will significantly improve the efficiency of carriage and the competitiveness of railway carriage," Toomsalu said.

(Source: http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/good_for_business/?doc=146837)