A container loaded in Örebro, central Sweden, can now reach ports in North Africa via Emilia-Romagna and Liguria without its cargo ever being unloaded. The service follows an agreement between Nurminen Logistics and Tarros Group to establish an intermodal corridor linking the Nordic region with the Mediterranean. It operates in both directions and is already up and running. At the heart of the service is Nurminen's own rail connection between Örebro and Parma, with two departures a week in each direction and a transit time of two and a half to three days. Parma serves as the hub, from which freight travels 109 kilometres by road to the Terminal del Golfo (Tdg) in La Spezia, where it joins Tarros's shipping network serving North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean and Malta. Tarros Group and Carbox handle road haulage, terminal operations and the sea leg. The service also includes customs clearance and documentation, and customers can book through either operator, with support throughout the booking process. Marjut Linnajärvi, Vice President of International Rail Operations and Sales at Nurminen Logistics, highlights transit times and integrated management as the main strengths of the service.
The corridor accommodates shipments of widely varying sizes, from individual pallets and less-than-container loads (LCL) to full container loads (FCL) and entire trains. For container shipments, the same loading unit is used throughout the journey, transferring between train, lorry and ship without the cargo being unloaded and reloaded. This reduces handling and the associated risk of damage, errors and delays. At the destination, Tarros's network of agencies provides local staff to coordinate port operations, customs procedures and final delivery by road.
