Connecticut's XPO Logistics, having recently acquired French forwarding giant Norbert Dentressangle, has taken a leading role in a venture to use rail freight to deliver goods to central Paris from a supply base in northern France.

It is part of a deal with property developer Sogaris and Belgian rail freight operator Eurorail to create, operate and market an urban rail shuttle to serve Paris and its inner suburbs, reports Lloyd's Loading List.

Eurorail will operate shuttle trains, each carrying up to 60 swapbody containers at a time, from a terminal near the multi-modal Delta 3 distribution hub in Dourges in northern France.

XPO Logistics will handle last-mile deliveries in the city's central districts and inner suburbs using clean fuel powered vehicles.

As Norbert Dentressangle in 2012, XPO it began using barges on the river Seine to supply goods to 80 stores of convenience retailer Franprix in Paris, saving almost 750,000 kilometres in truck journeys annually.

Source: shippingazette.com