Lineas COSCO train (Photo Lineas)

EUROPE: Rail freight operator Lineas has collaborated with container handler CSP Zeebrugge to launch a service between the Belgian port and Graz in Austria for COSCO Shipping Lines, which has had to divert vessels away from the Red Sea because of attacks by Houthi rebels.

The ships would normally go through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to the port of Piraeus in Greece, but have been rerouted to Zeebrugge because of the attacks.

‘We are pleased that we were able to respond quickly and effectively to the challenges faced by our COSCO Group partners’, said Lineas Executive Chairman Bernard Gustin on February 26. ‘This new connection highlights the flexibility of our network, and we are committed to continuing to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.’