CMA CGM follows Maersk to EWG terminal in Hungary

French shipping line CMA CGM has run its first container train to East-West Gate (EWG), the intermodal terminal in Fényeslitke near the Hungarian–Ukrainian border. The arrival follows the launch of Maersk’s container depot and dry port services at the site earlier this year. The EWG terminal was originally designed to handle Belt and Road rail freight between China and Central and Eastern Europe via Ukraine, as it sits where the EU standard gauge meets the Russian broad one. It entered trial operations in early 2022 but, due to the war in Ukraine, the group had to look for new markets.

Now, the presence of two of the world’s largest container carriers suggests that search is paying off. According to EWG Group, other leading ocean carriers are also showing interest in the region.

Two developments are driving the new demand. Eastern Hungary’s fast-growing battery and electromobility industry generates significant inbound container volumes. Exports from the region, however, remain comparatively limited, leaving carriers with an equipment imbalance and rising costs to evacuate empty boxes.

Across the border, the war has disrupted Ukraine’s established agricultural export routes. This has sparked the trader’s growing interest in containerised alternatives to traditional bulk transport, particularly for grain and other agricultural commodities. EWG seeks to bring these two trends together by attracting shipping lines and agricultural exporters, aligning their complementary needs and turning a logistical imbalance into a mutually beneficial opportunity.”

This story was originally published by RailFreight.com. Read the full story at RailFreight.com →