The Germans and Bulgarians have SOMAT to shout about
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AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE market analysis and planning programme, a consortium of a West German inland waterways operator and the Bulgarian state transport undertaking (SOMAT) has begun a new international barge service on the Danube.
Unaccompanied trailer traffic is being carried to and from the Bulgarian river port of Vidin, north of Sofia, with the German terminal at Passau, on the Austrian frontier.
The new service is aimed particularly at non-urgent traffic to the Middle East-the downstream leg of the journey takes over 10 days — but will further increase the strength of Bulgarian participation in international road freight activities. Haulage onwards from Vidin to Turkey and Middle East destinations will be provided by SOMAT vehicles.
The river ro-ro service is using the first-ever purpose-built catamaran-type vessel, which is designed to carry up to 48 40ft trailers. A second vessel is to be delivered this month by the German shipbuilders, while a further two units are under construction in Belgrade.
When fully operational, using all four carriers, scheduled annual capacity for around 4,000 trailers will be available to operators who wish to avoid the payment of Austrian transit taxes.