TNT Express has extended its road delivery network in Europe with a new service to and fromMontenegro. Following the recent addition of Albania, Macedonia, Belarus and Moldova, this
expansion gives TNT Express road network coverage of 40 European countries.The twice-weekly scheduled departures to Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, support TNT’sday-definite ‘Economy Express’ service, for parcels or freight weighing up to 500 kg per piece.Including customs clearance and real-time tracking, TNT said this product was ideal for customersthat ship less-urgent freight or parcels to the former Yugoslav republic, as the country reinforcesties with the European Union. Transit times within Europe are two to six days, depending on thedistance.
TNT Express will serve Montenegro out of a new bonded warehouse in Belgrade, Serbia, which isconnected to the TNT Express European road network via Timisoara in Romania. The 470-km drivethrough the mountains between Belgrade and Podgorica takes 10 to 12 hours.
Bas Janssen, managing director of TNT’s express road network, commented: “Montenegro doesthree quarters of its trade with the EU and has just entered accession talks. Together with theneed for cost effectiveness, this prompted us to include Montenegro in our road distributionnetwork.”
According to the IMF, Montenegro recorded real GDP growth of 2.5 per cent in 2011, withMontenegro’s merchandise exports to the EU reaching around €200 million in 2011. Imports from theEU were around €700 million.
