LTG Cargo arranges regular rolling highway between Lithuania and Germany
Lithuanian national railway undertaking LTG Cargo has arranged a regular rolling highway to Germany. The intermodal service is mainly dedicated to moving semi-trailers between Kaunas, a key railway hub in Lithuania, and Duisburg, the German largest dry and inland port.
Starting from Monday, 4 April, a regular combined transport connection has been functioning between Lithuania and Germany. The freight trains run between the termini, the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal and Samskip Multimodal Rail Terminal in Duisburg, three times a week departing from Kaunas on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and from Duisburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays.
As the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal is connected to the European gauge network (1,435 millimetres), there is no need to change boogies or wagons on the border between Lithuania and Poland. The regular rolling highway is fully run by the LTG Cargo group: LTG Cargo, the maternity company, is responsible for traction in Lithuania while LTG Cargo Polska, the company’s subsidiary in Poland, provides similar service in Poland and Germany. The length of the one-way route is 1,520 kilometres.
One train can transport from Kaunas to Duisburg or vice versa up to 36 intermodal units, namely semi-trailers and containers of all types. However, LTG Cargo points out that the intermodal service is mainly focused on moving semi-trailers by rail. This will reduce the carbon footprint of the Lithuanian logistics sector since most of the freight volumes from Lithuania to Germany are delivered by trucks.
Requirements for semi-trailers
According to LTG Cargo, the condition of semi-trailers is checked immediately at the entrance gate of the terminals. “If certain inconsistencies are found during the inspection of the semi-trailer, it will not be accepted. Nevertheless, the driver they will be allowed to remove them before entering the terminal yard,” the Lithuanian company specifies.
The pre-entry control at the terminals in Kaunas and Duisburg includes many options to check. Among them are:
• the TIR cable must be intact (not broken) and must be connected and pulled through all the buckles.
• the TIR cable must pass through the hinge of the rod.
• Both ends of the cable of the TIR semi-trailer must be attached with a clamp or stamp to the door/rear.
• The TIR cable must be solid, i. e. without knots.
• A maximum of three buckles may be missing on the entire side of the semi-trailer. Also, the buckles cannot be missed immediately after each other.
• Both doors must be properly locked at the bottom of the door handle and on the roof of the semi-trailer.
• The tarpaulin tape must be attached and correctly inserted into the holder.
• The load must not rest on the sheet in any way. Protrusion of sharp objects through the awning is prohibited.
• It is forbidden to transport cargo leaning on the sheet or sharp points on the sheet. Also, the rattle must not be pushed against the tarpaulin.
• Awnings must be tensioned/with no tears/holes/cracks in the cover.
• Previous stickers/labels of dangerous goods must be completely removed.
• The metal guard or bumper must be below the frame/body (if the codification letters (c3 e, f g, etc.) corresponds to the wagon, no need to be placed under the frame).
• The foot lever of the semi-trailer must be properly attached to the frame/bottom of the trailer. If it is not possible, it must be clamped.