Murcian exporter association Proexport believes intermodal transport solutions hold the key to improving the competitiveness of Spain’s fruit and vegetable export industry. Speaking at a transport conference in Brussels organised by Ferrmed this week, Proexport’s director Fernando Gómez said the construction of a Mediterranean rail network linking southeast Spain with the rest of Europe, dubbed the Mediterranean Corridor, would help create a more efficient and sustainable transport system.
“The supermarkets have made clear that they consider construction on the necessary infrastructure to be an important step in the diversification of fresh produce distribution network,” Gómez said.
He pointed out that an effective rail link would speed up journey times and reduce the environmental impact of transporting produce to European markets by cutting CO2 emissions.
According to the European Logistics Association, transportation costs make up approximately 22 per cent of the total production costs of products manufactured within the European Union. The aim of the Ferrmed conference is to develop an effective, intermodal pan-European transport strategy employing road, rail and maritime solutions for the effective distribution of goods.
