Kouvolan Innovation – Logistics planning of Kouvola RRT

Background

Kouvola is Finland’s largest hub of freight traffic railroads. Through the city passes approximately 12 million tons of goods and both domestic and foreign traffic. Kouvola Rail-Road Terminal (RRT) is the only TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network) core network terminal in Finland and its development is one of the city’s main strategic projects.

Assignment and results

In the Rail Road Terminal development project commissioned by Kouvola Innovation Oy EP-Logistics was responsible for the planning that concerned operations in the terminal. EP-Logistics compared the options for unit load transportations’ material handling technologies and their usage potential in handling of long container trains in the Kouvola terminal. Additionally, EP-Logistics found out the possibilities of utilising automation in cargo handling. EP-Logistics worked as a sub-consultant in the project and was also responsible for arranging four benchmark-visits in the UK.

Benefits

  • The preconditions for operating long trains in the railroad network in southeast Finland were defined
  • Justified recommendations for terminal equipment purchases were gained
  • Discovered operational plans for the phased development of Kouvola RRT
  • The locations for key terminal operations were defined
  • The development sites of the southeast Finland railroad network were identified