TIL advises rail freight start-up Holdtrade Atlantico SAS

Holdtrade Atlantico is a green-field rail freight operator that will establish the first commercial rail cargo services in Colombia.

The business was founded by UK-based investors, backed by US rail group Iowa Pacific Holdings and Columbia's biggest logistic provider OPL Carga.

The Company has already secured track access rights, and has pre-committed cargo volumes for a "Dock to Door" multimodal rail/road freight service in Colombia:

• 468 mile corridor using tracks owned by the Colombian government, and recently subject to 120m USD investment upgrades to track and infrastructure
• Services will connect the container port at Santa Marta with La Dorada
• The corridor catchment area represents 90% of Colombian GDP
• Holdtrade Atlantico has secured track access rights for up to 10 trains every two weeks until 2029 (additional capacity can be increased)
• Initial service of 4.5 trains per week
• 50% of initial train capacity already pre-sold to Colombian logistics group OPL Carga
• Rolling stock will be supplied by South African Genrail Pty Ltd

The Company plans to seek growth capital to commence operations during 2019 via London-based crowd-funding platform "Envestors".

TIL looks forward to working with the Holdtrade Atlantico team to develop the project.

At a glance:

• Route length - 468 miles
• The first commercial cargo rail in Colombia
• Track gauge - 3 feet [914 mm]
• Fleet size Phase 1 = 2 locos + 51 container flat wagons
• Capacity per train - 90 x 40-foot containers
• 50% of initial train capacity already pre-sold to Colombian logistics group OPL Carga
• Track access agreement - 10 years
• Planned service - 4.5 trains per week Phase 1, right to run up to 22 trains per week

Track authorities:

• ANI National Infrastructure Agency (through a subcontractor) - state rail infrastructure company
• FENOCO railroad and port

Project investors:

• Greenwich Railways [UK]
• OPL Carga [Colombia]
• Iowa & Pacific [USA]