Milan, 29 March 2018
Develop integrated transport of cargo containers between China and Europe through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Italy.
This is the main objective of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Milan by Mercitalia Hub - the largest Italian freight railway company that is part of the Mercitalia Hub (FS Italiane Group) - and United Transport and Logistics Company (UTLC), a company specialising in transportation of freight containers on the Europe-China axis.
The document was signed by Osvaldo Bagnasco, Mercitalia Rail's Intermodal Transport Manager, and Alexey Grom, UTLC President.
Specifically, UTLC will provide the logistics and rail transport services of freight containers between Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, using the Dostyk / Altynkol - Brest / Kaliningrad line. Mercitalia Rail will manage the railway service within the European Union. Priority will be given to flow to and from Italy.
The collaboration between Mercitalia Rail and UTLC began in conjunction with the signing of the MoU.
Gian Paolo Gotelli, Chief Executive of Mercitalia Rail, said: "We are very satisfied with the agreement with UTLC as it allows us to enter a market, the Eurasian market, which is booming in the goods sector. This project fits perfectly into our increasingly international business programs, in line with the internationalisation pillar of FS Italiane Group's 2017-2026 Business Plan."
"We are pleased to welcome UTLC's new Italian partner," underlined Alexey Grom. "Together with Mercitalia Rail we will be able to offer not only the organisation of shipments all the way from China to Europe and vice versa, but also new transport services and solutions. This MoU highlights the common interest of the two companies for the development of freight traffic on the Eurasian Corridor," concluded Grom.