Received the following via email. Article was posted on TrainOrders.com.
Arlington, Va., June 20, 2008: Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) announces the completion of the first direct-to-dock rail delivery of U.S. military cargo at the new APM Terminals facility in Portsmouth, Va. MLL partnered with APM Terminals Virginia, also a part of the A.P. Moller- Maersk Group, and Norfolk Southern, a major U.S. rail company, to complete this operation, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional cargo delivery and loading activities.
In this case, hundreds of up-armored Humvees were loaded onto railcars at the manufacturer and delivered directly via rail to the APM Terminals Virginia facility in Portsmouth, which currently features six on-dock rail tracks, with potential expansion to twelve. APM Terminals Virginia is the largest privately-owned ocean terminal in North America.
In this case, hundreds of up-armored Humvees were loaded onto railcars at the manufacturer and delivered directly via rail to the APM Terminals Virginia facility in Portsmouth, which currently features six on-dock rail tracks, with potential expansion to twelve. APM Terminals Virginia is the largest privately-owned ocean terminal in North America.
Traditional delivery and loading of military ocean cargo to seaports often employs diesel-powered trucks to move Humvees and other vehicles in small batches from their point of origin to the ocean terminal, where they are offloaded, transferred to flatracks if necessary, and then stowed aboard a ship.
With direct-to-dock rail, cargo is loaded aboard railcars in larger batches at its point of origin, moved directly to a seaport via rail, then stowed aboard a ship for transit. This process increases operational efficiency by streamlining the flow of cargo from its source to the terminal, protects cargo by reducing handling and reduces emissions by eliminating multiple trips by over-the-road trucks.
Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) is an American company that provides U.S. government agencies and their prime contractors with comprehensive maritime and transportation services around the globe. With the unparalleled experience, expertise and intermodal resources of the A..P. Moller- Maersk Group, MLL utilizes industry-leading technology to provide reliable, cost-effective transportation and maritime solutions.