New container terminal to rise in the Mosnov Zone, connecting Ostrava Airport and Industrial zone with the Port of Antwerp by rail
The Moravian-Silesian Region, Statutory City of Ostrava, the Railway Administration Authority (SŽDC), Concens Investments and Antwerp Port Authority will cooperate in developing a new container terminal in the strategic Mošnov industrial zone. On September 18, 2019 they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to start this new project, called the Mosnov Multimodal Transport Terminal
Amongst others, the new terminal will link the Moravian-Silesian Region with one of Europe’s largest ports Antwerp. As a result, a substantial share of cargo is expected to make the modal shift from road to rail. The memorandum was signed by the Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region Ivo Vondrák, Lord Mayor of Ostrava Tomáš Macura, Deputy of the CEO of SŽDC Mojmír Nejezchleb, the statutory director of Concens Investments Petr Kalina, and the International Development Manager of the Antwerp Port Authority Wim Dillen.
“Improving the environment and road traffic safety in the Moravian-Silesian region is our main priority. This is why we support any technical measures and business activities directed towards launching the operation of the terminal and its seamless operation and development. By building a new branch of the Studénka-Veřovice railway line directly connected to the 2nd railway transit corridor, the Railway Administration Authority (SŽDC) will better link the Mošnov Airport and industrial zone with the rest of Europe. A substantial portion of container cargo transport will move from the road to the railway, thus reducing the environmental burden of transportation,” said the Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region Ivo Vondrák. He added that owing to the activities of the Moravian-Silesian Region, a study was compiled of the direct branch from the 2nd railway transit corridor to the track connection of the combined transport terminal and Leoš Janáček Airport Ostrava. “Thanks to this study, the construction was included in the investment plan of the Railway administration Authority. At present, work is underway on project preparations. This branch is crucial for the railway connection of the new terminal,” stressed Governor Ivo Vondrák.
“The strengthening of commercial links with the port of Antwerp, and the completion of the cargo terminal logistics complex at Mošnov, will certainly bring substantial economic benefits including an influx of new investment not only to Ostrava, but to the entire Moravian-Silesian Region. For this reason, it is logical that the City of Ostrava has supported the construction of the Mošnov multimodal terminal right from the very beginning. The increased volume and intensity of cargo traffic at the industrial zone also has the potential to make a major contribution to the development of Ostrava’s airport. Because environmental improvements rank among the City’s top priorities, we also welcome the related plans to increase railway infrastructure capacity; this will enable a significant volume of goods transport to be transferred from the road network to the railway. So for local companies this will bring major economic benefits, and for the Region it will mean substantially lower emissions from road freight transport,” said Ostrava Mayor Tomáš Macura.
The investor in the project titled “Mošnov Multimodal Transport Terminal” is Consens Investments (parent company of Ostrava Airport Multimodal Park s.r.o.). In preparing and implementing the project, it will use a subsidy from the Operational Programme – Transportation from the Czech Ministry of Transportation. The terminal is expected to launch operation in early 2022.
The construction of the new multimodal terminal is a good opportunity for the development of business relations with the Port of Antwerp, both for inbound and outbound flows to/from above region.
With more than 235 million tonnes of maritime cargo handled in 2018, Antwerp is the largest growing port of Europe in the past 6 years. The port authority considers the implementation of the Mošnov Multimodal Transport Terminal as a major opportunity and impulse for the development of commercial relationships with the Czech Republic. “We promote rail as an important, even crucial alternative to road transport. The Mošnov Multimodal Transport Terminal has a justified the ambition to become one of the largest consolidation hubs of Central Europe supporting long term sustainable growth.” adds Wim Dillen of the Antwerp Port Authority.
