Tag: transit (Page 1 of 3)

Maersk launches rail offering from Barcelona, Spain to Southern France

October 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Barcelona, Spain – AP Moeller-Maersk AS (OTC: AMKBY) is launching a new rail product from the Port of Barcelona to Southern France especially designed to cut transit times of ocean cargo destined to the areas Toulouse, Bordeaux and Lyon by using Barcelona as an alternative gateway. Starting early November there will be three weekly direct block trains between Barcelona and Toulouse as well as one weekly connection between Barcelona and Lyon. Via Toulouse the solution also connects cargo to Bordeaux seamlessly by using a partner network. Furthermore, it is intended to extend the connectivity on the Spanish side by rail to the areas of Tarragona and Zaragoza.

This new offering can shorten transit times for import and export cargo in the areas Toulouse, Bordeaux and Lyon by up to 12 days (7 days on average) compared to traditional routings via French or North European ports. Thanks to shorter transport distances and the utilisation of electrified trains it can also be a more environmentally friendly routing. The block trains can also be booked for intra-continental cargo between Spain and France.

Maersk is operating this new end to end service via its own company APM Spain Railways and cooperates for the trains with the partners Captrain and Naviland.

Thanks to brand new interoperable locomotives, the block trains neither have to stop to change the locomotive or replace wheel-sets at the Spanish-French border for seamless operations and best-in-class reliability.

DHL EXPRESS OPENS NEW $84.5M HUB IN ATLANTA

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

DHL (OTC: DHLGY) Express, the world’s leading provider of express shipping services, has announced the grand opening of its Americas region hub based at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). With a focus on sustainability, the $84.5 million investment further strengthens the company’s connections and service capabilities between the U.S. and key global markets, increasing capacity, speeding transit times, and adding resilience to its network.

Spanning 100,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art hub establishes direct connections between 19 cities in the Southeastern U.S. and key global markets, including Europe and major DHL hubs worldwide. Future plans involve adding flight connections to Hong Kong, Mexico, the UK, and Puerto Rico.

The DHL Atlanta Hub also sets new standards for sustainability, generating up to 50% of its on-site energy consumption through 65,000 sq. ft of rooftop solar panels, preventing the release of 380 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. The remaining energy consumed on-site is sourced from renewable sources through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), guaranteeing zero emissions from electricity consumption. Moreover, the hub employs environmentally conscious features such as LED lights, electric forklifts, dock seals, and rapid rise doors, further minimizing its environmental impact.

The Atlanta hub operates as a fully automated facility, equipped with cutting-edge technology capable of sorting up to 20,000 pieces per hour. To ensure swift clearance of DHL customer shipments, the hub employs in-house Customs brokers and collaborates with on-site U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel. Additionally, DHL implements advanced threat detection and security screening technologies, effectively preventing the entry of illegal and hazardous commodities into its network.

Alstom China Joint Venture Wins Maintenance Contract for Shanghai Metro Line 12

February 21, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

February 18, 2022 – Alstom (OTC: ALSMY) Chinese joint venture, Shentong Bombardier (Shanghai) Rail Transit Vehicle Maintenance Co., Ltd., has been awarded a contract from Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Metro) to provide whole lifecycle maintenance service for 204 Movia metro cars (34 trains) on Shanghai’s Line 12 phase 2 and phase 3 project. The total contract is valued at approximately €43.6 million (330 million CNY excl. VAT).

Under the contract, SHBRT will adopt the condition-based maintenance regime by deploying the advanced maintenance tools, including Alstom’s Orbita advanced train monitoring system, Automatic Vehicle Inspection System, etc., to improve the safety, reliability, availability and efficiency of Shanghai’s Line 12 fleet. The scope of the contract includes preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, balanced overhauls, safety inspections, train cleaning and train escort services for 204 metro cars. The project is expected to be completed in November 2027.

QANTAS to Open Pop-up Transit Lounge at Darwin International Airport

October 27, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Qantas will open a temporary lounge to cater for eligible customers travelling between Sydney and London via Darwin from next month.

It follows the recent announcement that Qantas’ flagship Australia to United Kingdom route would operate via Darwin once Australia’s international borders open on 1 November until at least April 2022 due to WA border closures.

Qantas will lease Darwin International Airport’s Catalina lounge, which will have space for approximately 100 guests utilising existing furniture and fittings. The offering will feature:

Service delivered by local Qantas lounge team members, including a signature welcome mocktail (Top End Lemonade) and refreshing cold towels.
Generous lounge and dining areas with a serviced buffet
Tailored menus for time of day, drawing on local culinary influences such as a Darwin markets inspired Asian style soup.
Premium Australian wines, beers and non-alcoholic drinks offered by a dedicated bar attendant
Power points through the space to recharge on the fly
Bathroom facilities

Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully, said the national carrier is delighted to work with Darwin International Airport to ensure a comfortable transit experience for its top tier frequent flyers and customers travelling in Business Class.

Customers eligible to visit the Qantas Darwin International Transit Lounge include:

Platinum One, Platinum, Gold Qantas Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members
Customers travelling in Business Class
Eligible oneworld partner members

Qantas will also reopen its Sydney International First Lounge from 1 November and its London and Los Angeles lounges in December. In the interim few weeks of operation, eligible Qantas customers will be able to visit the British Airways T3 Lounge at London Heathrow and the Star Alliance Lounge at Tom Bradley International Terminal in LA. Other international lounges will reopen to align with the return of further international routes.

Alstom Successfully Commissioned First Seven Freight Locomotives in Azerbaijan

June 29, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has successfully commissioned the first 7 Prima T8 AZ8A freight locomotives to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY). These locomotives will run on the main freight transit line, which has recently been converted from 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC.

The Prima T8 AZ8A locomotives will be running initially on the “Silk Road” East-West corridor of Azerbaijan linking the Caspian Sea main ports to the Georgian border and later all across the country.

In 2014, ADY signed a contract with Alstom for €288 million for supplying 50 electric locomotives, including 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives which are being produced at Alstom’s JV EKZ in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives which have been produced in Belfort, France and already delivered to Azerbaijan.

Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tons per axle two-section freight locomotive capable of towing up to 9,000 tons and running at 120 km/h, with installed continuous power of 8.8 Megawatts. The Prima T8 AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.

Alstom’s Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or track work operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives (more than 4,600 sections) have been sold worldwide.

Alstom is present in Western & Central Asia with more than 1,000 people, three country offices in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, five depots, repair center and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines. Alstom is a major contributor to the revitalization of the region’s mobility industry and the development of its economy.

EKZ, a joint venture of Alstom, employs around 850 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway company and export markets, like Azerbaijan.

Air New Zealand Updates Covid-19 Alert Levels Following New Cases in Auckland

February 14, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that New Zealand is going back into lockdown following reports of 3 new Covid-19 cases in the south Auckland area. Following the press release earlier today, Air New Zealand (OTC: ANZLY) is asking that customers traveling to and from Auckland check they are eligible to travel under the new Alert Level 3 restrictions. Customers travelling from Alert Level 2 regions on our services are able to transit through Auckland on their way to other Alert Level 2 regions.

Food and beverage service onboard domestic flights had already been suspended in response to the latest community cases and this suspension will remain in place until further notice. Water is available on request on all flights.

From tomorrow, Air New Zealand’s Auckland lounges and valet parking will close. Due to capacity restrictions under Alert Level 2, the maximum number of people able to access the airline’s lounges in other regions is capped at 100.

While the country is at elevated Alert Levels, Air New Zealand will be taking extra precautions to keep its staff and customers safe. Air New Zealand front line staff and cabin crew will be wearing masks and gloves and customers are required to continue to wear face coverings onboard.

Customers with existing bookings between Monday 15 February and Sunday 21 February who wish to rebook to travel before Sunday 7 March will have any fare difference waived, and customers can call the contact centre to arrange this.

In addition to this, customers who hold a ticket for a domestic flight scheduled to depart up until 30 March 2021 and no longer wish to travel are able to opt in for credit and can do this via the airline’s online booking tool. Customers who are unable to manage their booking online do not need to contact Air New Zealand immediately or prior to their flight’s departure – assistance will be provided at a later date to find an alternative flight option or a credit note can be arranged.

The Air New Zealand contact centre and social media team are currently experiencing very high demand and the airline is grateful to customers for their patience while it works through these changes.

For the latest information, customers can check the Air New Zealand COVID-19 Hub and travel alerts page.

Amtrak Seeking Contractors for New Carrollton Station Project

January 22, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is transforming Northeast Corridor train travel by enhancing the customer experience, both in stations and on board trains. As part of this effort, Amtrak is currently accepting Letters of Interest from interested contractors until Feb. 15, 2021, for construction associated work at New Carrollton Station in Maryland. The project involves work within the existing station and the construction of a side platform, and will be closely coordinated with Amtrak for minimal impacts to service.

This infrastructure work is underway in preparation for the introduction of the new Acela fleet scheduled to begin entering service in 2021. The project is necessary to support higher frequency Acela service by expanding the routing options available for high-speed trains in the busy triple-track territory between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, which is also heavily utilized by commuter trains.

Constructed in 1983 as an intermodal facility, the New Carrollton station serves Amtrak and Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) trains, Washington Metrorail, Metro buses, MTA buses and county transit, as well as many commuting drivers who connect to transit and Amtrak. The New Carrollton Station is served daily by Amtrak’s Acela, Northeast Regional, Palmetto and Vermonter trains. New Carrollton Staton is located on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), one of the busiest, most complex, and economically vital transportation systems in the world connecting eight states and the District of Columbia.

In an effort to make Amtrak the smarter way to travel, we are also upgrading our infrastructure and modernization efforts and improving track capacity and ride quality all along the Northeast Corridor. The New Carrollton Station project also complements other significant station expansion investments at New York Penn Station; the opening of the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York; and further development of stations in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Visit Amtrak.com to learn more about the Future of Rail and infrastructure improvements.

Warsaw the 25th European City to Return to Emirates Network

August 17, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates will resume passenger flights to Warsaw from 4 September starting with twice-a-week services, and increasing to three-a-week from 7 October.

The resumption of flights to Warsaw will expand Emirates’ current network to 75 cities in September, offering travellers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific convenient connections via Dubai to the Polish capital.

The airline has been gradually restoring its network connectivity, working closely with international and local authorities to responsibly resume passenger operations to meet travel demand, while always prioritising the health and safety of its customers, crew and communities.

On the Dubai-Warsaw route, Emirates will deploy its spacious, wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offering seats in First, Business and Economy class. Flight EK179 to Warsaw will depart Dubai at 08:10hrs on Fridays and Sundays, and the return flight EK180 will depart Warsaw at 15:00hrs. An additional flight service on Wednesdays, will be added to the route from 7 October.

Customers can book flights on emirates.com or via travel agents.

Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors. Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from.

Alstom Begins Validation Tests on Azerbaijan Freight Locomotives

August 9, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has launched the validation test campaign for the Prima T8 AZ8A freight locomotives in Azerbaijan on the main freight transit line, which has recently been converted from 3kV DC to 25kV AC.

In 2014, ADY awarded a contract to EKZ, Alstom’s joint venture with Transmashholding (TMH), for a total 50 electric locomotives, including 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives.

The Prima T8 AZ8A is based on the KZ8A locomotives currently in service in Kazakhstan and ADY’s specific technical requirements and is compliant with GOST[1] standards and specifications.

Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tons per axle two-section freight locomotive capable of towing up to 9,000 tons and running at 120 km/h, with installed continuous power of 8.8 Megawatts. The AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.

Alstom’s Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or trackwork operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives (more than 4,600 sections) have been sold worldwide.

Alstom is present in Western & Central Asia with more than 850 people, three country offices, four depots, repair center and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines. Alstom is a major contributor to the revitalization of country’s mobility industry and the development of its economy.

EKZ, a joint venture between Alstom and TMH[2], employs 700 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway company and export markets, like Azerbaijan.

[1] GOST: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) technical certification organisation

[2] EKZ: Alstom 75%, TMH 25%

Alstom to Supply Taipei Integrated Metro Line 7 Extension

July 18, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The Alstom-led consortium with Taiwanese engineering and contracting services company CTCI reached contractual close on 23 June 2020 for the Phase Two extension of Taipei Metro Line 7. The contract is valued at close to €424 million, with an Alstom share of approximately €248 million.

Phase One, which was awarded by Systemwide E&M Project Office Department of Rapid Transit Systems of Taipei City Government (SEMPO) in 2018, has been extended to deliver a seamless customer experience on the new metro line, spanning an additional 13.3km with 13 stations as part of Phase Two. When fully completed around late 2028, the 22.8-kilometre medium-capacity metro line, also known as Wanda Zhonghe Shulin Line, will connect Taipei City to New Taipei City more seamlessly. In addition, passengers can look forward to more convenience travelling between the various districts within New Taipei City such as Chong-he, Shu-lin, Tu-chen, Xin-zhuang.

Under the contract, Alstom will be responsible for the design, supply, manufacturing, testing and commissioning of 16 additional fully automated, four-car Metropolis trains, Urbalis 400 Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, as well as platform screen doors. The trains will be manufactured in Alstom’s Taubaté factory in Brazil, while the signalling system will be delivered by its Saint-Ouen site in France and Bangalore site in India. Alstom and CTCI will also jointly carry out project management and system integration. CTCI will provide the track work, power supply, depot equipment, Telecommunication and Ticketing systems.

“Taipei Metro Line 7, which interchanges with five other lines, will be a game changer for the travelling public of Taipei, and Alstom is delighted to continue to be a part of this iconic project. The success of this project extension with SEMPO positions us as a reliable and trusted partner, established for the long term in Taiwan and well beyond our 40 years of active presence,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.

Alstom’s metros are world-leading, proven, safe and reliable trains that serve many of the world’s great cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Paris and Singapore. Alstom has more than 65 years’ experience in the production of metros, having sold over 17,000 metro cars that operate in 55 cities around the world and carry 30 million passengers every day.

In Taiwan, Alstom provides signalling systems to all but one of Taipei’s metro lines and is currently supplying a driverless signalling system for Taichung Green metro line. In 2017, Alstom won its first tramway project in Taiwan, supplying its latest Citadis tram to Kaohsiung tramway line phase two.

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