Milestones of the past 60 years of AWT Čechofracht a.s.

1952

  • Čechofracht was founded on 1 January 1952. The reason for establishing a sea shipping company was the increasing trade with countries such as China, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. All maritime activities were transferred from Metrans to Čechofracht, including the acquisition and sale of ships, shipping leases and deputising for international shipping companies.

1952 – 1955

  • When founded, Čechofracht operated the first post-war Czechoslovak ship “Republika”. Another ship, named “Julius Fučík” was purchased in 1953, and three more “Lidice”, “Mír” and “Dukla”, were acquired over the next two years.

1953

  • Transformation of the company into a sea shipping company.

1958

  • Extension of the business to include international forwarding after Metrans ceded its entire agenda to Čechofracht, including employees.

1959

  • Československá námořní plavba (Czechoslovak Sea Shipping) commenced operation, taking over the maritime operations from Čechofracht, closing the seagoing chapter of Čechofracht’s history.

1963

  • Čechofracht joins the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA); the first ever member from the then Eastern Bloc. Čechofracht was accepted in Lucerne, Switzerland, in September 1963.

1971

  • Čechofracht was the first organisation in what was then Czechoslovakia to become a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

1991

  • In January 1991 the company was transformed into a joint stock company for sea shipping and international forwarding. The Association of Forwarding and Logistics of the Czech Republic was founded in the same year, Čechofracht becoming a member.

1995

  • In the course of 1995, all registered stock certificates were transformed into registered shares with a nominal value of CZK 1,000 and booked with the Central Securities Office.

1995

  • Acquisition of terminal in Prague-Hostivař. The premises spanning 60,000 m2 feature a ten-storey office building as well as 12,000 m2 of warehouse space.

1996

  • The Prague-Hostivař premises were extended with a new building for the Customs Office, enabling the creation of a free zone, operated by Čechofracht to this day. The Prague-Hostivař premises have become home to the company headquarters, even if the official seat of the company remains in downtown Prague.

1997

  • Quality management certified in accordance with ČSN EN ISO 9002.

2005 – 2006

  • Acquisition of SPEDI-TRANS Praha, followed by transfer of the rail business into the company. Founding of a subsidiary BlueTrucks as an operator of long-distance road haulage.

2007

  • Čechofracht became a member of the international association Air & Ocean Partners, gaining access to resources of partner organisations operating air and sea shipping around the world.

2008

  • Extension of service portfolio with express parcel service operating within the European distribution network SystemPlus.

2009 – 2010

  • Integration into the AWT Group and change of business name to AWT Čechofracht a. s.

2011

  • AWT Čechofracht once again becomes a forwarder with a comprehensive range of transport services. Railway and full truckload shipping are reintegrated into the company.

2015

  • Member of PKP CARGO Group.