Hector Rail and Van Dieren Maritime have signed a five-year traction agreement between Sweden and the continent. The agreement specifies that Hector Rail locomotives provide traction for intermodal trains between Norrköping and the Ruhr Area. For the first time in history, the trains will use the same locomotive the entire way rather than switching at the borders. Hector Rail’s order of new multisystem locomotives from Bombardier Transportation has made that breakthrough possible. Meanwhile, customers will enjoy more rapid delivery and improved quality.
Because service start in January 2008, the locomotives will be acquired on an accelerated basis. As part of the agreement, Hector Rail will also offer wagons for transporting trailers and containers.
Van Dieren Maritime, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samskip (an Icelandic logistic company), has developed a highly successful concept for door-to-door solutions based on intermodal loading equipment and its own complete trains. The agreement with Hector Rail will increase the number of departures from three to five a week.
