Volvo scraps direct goods train service from China
The novel coronavirus has claimed another victim.
The Volvo Group has cancelled the direct freight train service between the Chinees city of Xi’an and the East Flemish city of Ghent. The freight train service is being suspended as a precautionary measure due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. No trains carrying cars will leave China for Ghent as long as the service remains suspended.
However, cars and other freight will continue to be transported between Ghent and China. "The Volvo Group has decided that the trains from China that have the docks in Ghent as their destination are not being allowed to run”, Barbara Blomme of Volvo Cars Gent explains.
"For the time being the trains from Ghent to China with a stop in Poland will continue to run”, Ms Blomme added. The stop in Poland is used to unload any cars that aren’t needed straight away in China and put them in storage.
The company has also cancelled all business trips from its Ghent site to China until the issues with novel coronavirus have been resolved. Staff from Volvo Ghent that have travelled to China recently have been told by the company to stay at home for the first two weeks after their return.