CoolRail, the company that transports fresh produce by rail from Spain to key European markets in partnership with Transfesa Logistics and Euro Pool System, has sent its first container from Valencia to Denmark.

After this first test run, the goal for the short and medium-term is to make this a regular route. The initiative of using rail as the exclusive mode of transport in the supply chain aims to meet increasing demand from customers such as Co-op Trading.

This company supplies the main retail cooperatives in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, all of which are involved in the CoolRail project. The cooperative that received this first consignment to be sent 100 % by rail was Co-op Denmark.

The main benefits of this new route are the competitive transit time of five days and savings of more than 70% in CO2 emissions compared to road transport. The return trip is also economically feasible because the returning train carries empty pallets belonging to Euro Pool System.

Transfesa Logistics’ key account manager, Pedro Ramos, said: “We have made great progress by consolidating CoolRail as the most sustainable and efficient distribution network for sending fresh products to the whole of Europe. Customers in Nordic countries are pleased to see rail transport at the heart of the supply chain".

"They are very concerned about protecting the environment and the world in which they operate and are keen to find emission-free logistics solutions to contribute to the reduction of CO2.”

Ramos says that the initiative represents an opportunity to promote the use of rail for goods transport throughout Europe.

CoolRail, powered by Transfesa, has been transporting fresh produce between the south and northwest of Europe since 2019.