Advanced World Transport (AWT), a member of the PKP CARGO Group, the largest rail freight carrier in Poland and a leading rail freight carrier in the European Union, has completed stage III of The Paskov Terminal modernization in the Czech Republic.
A modern intermodal transshipment point in Paskov of 70,000 m2, with the capacity of 4,800 TEU and rail tracks of 3x 270 m and 2x 375 m is situated close to industrial zones and borders with Poland and Slovakia. In the Paskov Terminal AWT offers its customers comprehensive services associated with intermodal transshipment of goods.
Strategic position in the heart of Europe allows for easy and fast connection to important European ports and terminals. It is situated close to the highway and it is connected to the national railway network. So far, the Terminal construction cost is approximately CZK 450 mil, of which CZK 151 mil. is EU subsidy and CZK 12 mil. is from Czech Ministries. There were 165 thousand manipulations performed in the Terminal in 2018.
The Terminal serves AWT as well as external entities and offers all activities associated with transshipment, collection, delivery, light repairs of containers, dispatch of trains and storage of containers on the premises, then also customs services situated on the premises.
"Today the Terminal in Paskov is among the most important transshipment points for intermodal transport in Central Europe and it is also very interesting to our customers.<0} Since 2007 we have been building the Terminal on a brownfield of the former Paskov Coal Mine and we have just finished stage three of modernization, during which we have built new base for Terminal staff and doubled the area and the capacity. The PKP CARGO Group, which operates a total of 27 terminals of that type, has big plans for the future with the transshipment point in Paskov and the subsequent intermodal transport and we are currently preparing stage four of expansion," says Maciej Walczyk, Chairman of AWT Board of Directors.
In this Terminal AWT has nine reach stackers for containers with the possibilities of stacking the containers in up to five layers and it is possible to handle not only standard ISO containers but also road semi-trailers and swap bodies. There is parking space for 130 semi-trailers, connection for refrigerator containers and special place for containers with hazardous goods in the Terminal. It also includes a modern control center for central control, customs office, declaration and other subsequent external services and entities.
"Ports Koper, Triest and Gdansk are currently the most frequent destinations in the north-south direction and potential intermodal transports can be semi-trailer trains from Scandinavia or transport from the Greek port Pierus,” says Michal Kubíček, Paskov Terminal Director.
The Terminal was founded in 2007, whereas stage I of expansion and modernization was in 2008-2009 and stage II in 2011-2012. Stage III of the Terminal modernization started in February 2018, during which the handling area doubled to 70 thousand m2 and capacity to 4,800 TEU and two new tracks 375 m long were built.
Investment in stage III modernization was CZK 230 mil., of which EU subsidy was CZK 151 mil. The whole modernization will be completed in 2020 by reconstruction of the adjacent railway siding and modification of four tracks to 750 m length, which will enable accepting block container trains.
The Terminal currently serves ten big customers, among which are for example Maersk, MSC, COSCO, EKOL or LKW Walter. Approximately 14 thousand manipulations with containers and semi-trailers are performed in the Terminal every month.
Stage IV of Terminal modernization and expansion is currently being planned, which should start in July 2019 by demolition of adjacent buildings of the former Paskov Mine. The demolition is supposed to be completed by the end of 2020, when the handling area will be increased by approx. 30 thousand m2 and it will be used as parking place for road semi-trailers.
