Arrival of First Shipment of Building Materials
Construction of BYD’s First European Plant in Hungary Begins
The construction of the first European plant of electric car manufacturer BYD is set to begin in Hungary, as the first cargo of construction materials has arrived from China by rail at the PSP terminal in Szeged-Kiskundorozsma in southern Hungary.
The materials will be transported directly from the intermodal terminal to the construction site of the Chinese construction contractor, bypassing populated areas. The initial shipment includes steel hall elements for the BYD factory currently under construction, according to a statement from the Association of Hungarian Logistic Service Centers (MLSZKSZ).
Subsequent shipments of steel structures and construction materials are expected between August and the end of the year, totaling four ships of steel structures and 2-3,000 containers. Over the next three years, at least four million tons of bulk cargo will be delivered directly to the car plant site, primarily via the intermodal terminal.
Truck deliveries from the terminal to the construction site will be coordinated with the municipality and Hungarian Public Road to minimize disruption to the public.
The BYD factory will be constructed in phases, with plans to expand the facility to include additional units and a giant building on 10 hectares. Upon completion, the factory aims to receive 200 containers a day initially, with the potential to increase to 300 containers in the future. The facility plans to transport 150,000 ready-built cars by rail in the first year, and 300,000 cars annually in subsequent years.
The PSP terminal will provide comprehensive services for rail transport, terminal operations, and road delivery. However, the development of the Hungarian rail network will be crucial to accommodate the increased traffic from the growing car and battery industry, as reported by World Economy.
The MLSZKSZ has emphasized the urgent need for rail infrastructure improvements to support the booming investment in the car and battery industry. Without adequate rail development, the road network will face increased congestion, environmental pollution, and safety risks. The organization is actively engaging with ministries, MÁV (Hungarian State Railway), and industry stakeholders to promote environmentally friendly rail transport through dialogues and conferences.
The upcoming East-European Intermodal Conference in October will focus on promoting the development of intermodal transport to address the challenges posed by the expanding automotive industry.
Sources: MTI, World Economy, Featured image: Facebook/BYD
