EcotecWorld has used what it has dubbed ‘the new silk road’ to transport solar modules by train from China to the UK.
The solar developer and wholesaler chartered a train of 50 containers to bring stock from LDK’s Nanchang module factory through to Rotterdam. The journey is expected to reach the Dutch city tomorrow (12 December) after the original arrival date was pushed back due to minor delays on the route caused by snow.
The goods are expected to reach the UK early next week by road.
Nick Criado-Perez, company director for EcotecWorld, said: “It proved a vital help and allowed us to bring in stock in time for the feed-in tariff cut at the end of December.”
The company said the rail link from China, which has been open since the start of the year, takes under half the time it would by sea. According to a spokesperson for EcotechWorld, travelling by rail would normally cost double the price but this journey was subsidised by the local government in China as it was the first time the route had been used from the area.