What makes the contract a milestone is that length of its terms—to run between 2007 and 2011—and the high volume of traffic. Since it began operations in 1994, Eurotunnel has carried more than 11 million trucks between the Continent and the U.K. In 2005, it moved 1,308,786 trucks onboard its fleet of 16 freight shuttles.
To encourage business, Eurotunnel has instituted a number of service improvements, including automatic check in lanes, plate number recognition systems, improvements to its freight terminals and simplification of booking.
The other partner to the agreement is Nedexco, a Dutch transport and logistics hauler that specializes in moving refrigerated cargo. It moves fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, chilled foods and flowers between Holland, Germany and the U.K. Last year the carrier’s revenues were more than €31 million (U.S. $41.3 million).
“We have always chosen to cross the Channel via the Tunnel” explains Jacques Van der Heijdent, Nedexco’s managing director, “which gives us the guarantee of speed, ease and reliability which as so important in our business.”
