JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CG Railway, LLC (CGR), a joint venture between Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and SEACOR Holdings Inc., today announced that its new, state-of-the-art rail ferry, the Cherokee, completed its maiden roundtrip voyage with record results for transportation speed and railcar volumes.
The Cherokee departed the Port of Mobile in Alabama on September 12, 2021, hauling 122 railcars and arrived at the Port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, Mexico, on September 15, 2021. The vessel began its return trip from Coatzacoalcos on September 18, 2021, with 130 railcars onboard and docked in Mobile three days later.
The Cherokee measures 590 feet in length and is designed to carry up to 135 railcars, a 17% capacity increase per sailing compared to CGR’s previous rail ferries.
“We are extremely pleased with the Cherokee’s performance during its maiden voyage,” said Todd Biscan, CGR vice president of sales and marketing. “The rail ferry transported more than 22,500 tons of diverse commodities, including chemicals, plastics, pulp and paper, agricultural products and food. CGR is excited to enhance service quality to customers and safely move railcars from the U.S. to Southern Mexico in three days with customs cleared en route.”
CGR also took delivery of an identical second new rail ferry, the Mayan, on September 22, 2021, which is expected to enter into service in December and replace CGR’s existing vessel, the BANDA SEA. Until then, the BANDA SEA will continue to operate alongside the Cherokee to provide steady service to customers.
“Offering greater capacity and more sailings per week between the Southeast U.S. and Mexico, CGR service is better than ever,” said CGR President Hoffman Lijeron. “In addition, both the Cherokee and Mayan will generate lower CO2 emissions than land alternatives and our legacy ferries. These collective benefits provide a long-term, sustainable supply chain solution for existing and prospective customers.”
About CG Railway, LLC (CGR)
Established in 2000, CG Railway operates as a U.S. Class III freight railroad that currently transports approximately 10,000 carloads of diversified commodities annually across the Gulf of Mexico, with long-term agreements to operate purpose-built rail-ferry terminals in the ports of Mobile, Alabama, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz in Mexico. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and SEACOR Holdings Inc. formed the rail-ferry joint venture that includes CG Railway, LLC in 2017, combining the two companies’ unmatched experience in rail and marine transportation and logistics services. For additional information, visit cgrailway.com.
About Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W)
G&W owns or leases 116 freight railroads organized in locally managed operating regions with 7,300 employees serving 3,000 customers.
- G&W’s four North American regions serve 42 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces and include 113 short line and regional freight railroads with more than 13,000 track-miles.
- G&W’s UK/Europe Region includes the U.K.’s largest rail maritime intermodal operator and second-largest freight rail provider, as well as regional rail services in Continental Europe.
G&W subsidiaries and joint ventures also provide rail service at more than 30 major ports, rail-ferry service between the U.S. Southeast and Mexico, transload services, and industrial railcar switching and repair.
About SEACOR Holdings
SEACOR Holdings Inc. is a diversified holding company with interests in domestic and international transportation and logistics, crisis and emergency management, and clean fuel and power solutions.
Contacts
Todd Biscan
CGR Vice President of Sales and Marketing
+1(904) 440-7080
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