5 OCT 2023 · PROSPERITY
Rather than taking 40 days by sea, the Milton Group transported goods from Europe to the Middle East with TIR – crossing 13 countries – in just nine days.
Goods are often transported from Europe to the Gulf Cooperation Council region by air or sea.
The Milton Group decided to try something different: road transport with TIR.
By opting for the only global transit system, TIR, the Milton Group was able to complete a 40-day maritime journey in just nine days.
The goods departed from Latvia and transited Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Iran via the Bandar Abbas port and then to the United Arab Emirates using a Ro-Ro vessel and finally the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, before arriving at its destination in Kuwait.
Two drivers alternated to drive through the 13 countries according to regional driving and rest time rules.
As the only global transit system, the TIR system allowed the truck to seamlessly pass countries and customs along the way.
Milton Group CEO Katarzyna Kazmierska-Kassem said, “The decision to use TIR was a no-brainer. Without it, we would not have been able to offer a competitive transit time, nor deal with the transit formalities in each country individually. I don’t think this route is possible without TIR.”
IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet said, “Congratulations to the Milton Group for accomplishing this remarkable TIR journey. TIR proved that Middle Eastern and European markets can be brought even closer, ultimately reducing not only transit times and costs, but also administrative and coordination burdens.”
“We also very much appreciate the critical role that IRU members played along the way in helping the Milton Group pioneer this route with the TIR system, cutting transport times between Europe and the Middle East by nearly 80%,” she added.
The Milton Group is not alone in mobilising the benefits of TIR to transport goods eastwards from Europe.
A Moldovan operator recently used TIR to transport goods from Europe to India via Türkiye and the Bandar Abbas port in Iran, connecting Europe to South Asia in record time.
What is TIR?
The TIR system enables goods to be shipped from a country of origin to a country of destination in sealed load compartments that are controlled by customs via a multilateral, mutually recognised system.
TIR streamlines procedures at borders, reducing the administrative burden for customs authorities and transport and logistics companies. It cuts border waiting times significantly, saving time and money.
