Sony benefits from using Piraeus

By Vangelis Mandravelis

Every week three or four Trainose trains, each consisting of 38 carriages, depart from Piraeus carrying as many containers of Sony merchandize destined for Slovakia, where the Japanese elctronics giant assembles TV sets to cover the needs of its European market.

Sony Hellas head Yiannis Gratsonis says that this forwarding project has long stopped being in the pilot phase and now covers all the basic supply needs of the Sony factory in Nitra, western Slovakia.

“The capacity of each train is only reduced by the rail infrastructure,” says Gratsonis, explaining that in certain neighboring countries the bridges and tunnels are not big enough to support larger trains or containers.

According to the local Sony official, the Japanese company is seeing considerable benefits from its cooperation with Chinese company Cosco in the use of the port of Piraeus and the rail link it has obtained with central Europe, as it reduces the time goods need to reach their destination.

“The biggest benefit for Sony is the 10 days it gains compared with the previous route,” said Gratsonis. He also highlighted the need to upgrade the cargo line that starts at the port of Piraeus, as demand for ever-bigger TV sets continues growing.