At the end of July, Cosco Shipping launched the Iberia Sea-Rail Express, which connects the port of Valencia in Spain with Leixões and Bobadela in Portugal by rail. On the 18th of August, another train departed from the Bobadela terminal. The occasion was attended by representatives of Infraestruturas de Portugal, the Portugal Shipping Agents Association, Captrain/Takargo and Euronave/Euroatla, Cosco Shipping’s agent in Portugal, showing that the new rail service ran well.

According to Euronave/Euroatla, it is a weekly service that can carry 58 TEU. Once the service is established and stabilized, it is possible to operate two trains weekly, which will increase the capacity to 400 TEU per month.

The Iberia Sea-Rail Express appears as an alternative route for Cosco Shipping to the permanently congested port of Rotterdam. The port is the usual gateway for Asian cargoes destined for Portugal.