Japanese shipping company Ocean Network Express has signed a contract for guaranteed rail wagon capacity with Freightliner, a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc.

According to ONE, the contract covers the main intermodal routes in the United Kingdom and will see 118,320 road miles removed from UK roads per day. The switch from road to rail will also reduce greenhouse gases by 67% save ONE 180 tonnes of CO2 per day on inland transport. This represents a 13% increase compared to when the three Japanese shipping lines MOL, NYK and K-Line were operating independently of each other.

“Our customers want a service that meets all their requirements in terms of reliability, safety and sustainability,” said Derek Wakeling, product and network director at ONE. “With ONE and Freightliner working together in partnership, everyone benefits from a significant reduction in carbon emissions and we can continue to provide the high level of service that our customers expect from us.”

Prior to the integration to form ONE, the three Japanese lines all used Freightliner as a rail partner with guaranteed capacity. The new contract will support customers’ supply chains and strengthen their international competitiveness while remaining environmentally friendly.

“I am delighted that Freightliner has been awarded this significant contract, recognizing our positive track record of performance, reliability and scale of delivery,” said Adam Cunliffe, CCO of G&W’s subsidiaries in the UK and Europe. “Having previously worked with all three Japanese shipping lines, we look forward to continuing our close working relationship with our ONE colleagues and to making a positive impact on our environment, as well as easing congestion on our roads by moving more freight on rail.”