GERMANY: A group of 11 private freight operators and publicly-owned DB Cargo have announced plans to promote and foster the wagonload business.
Unveiling the proposals on May 11, the founder members of Netzwerk Zukunft Einzelwagenverkehr (Network Future Wagonload Traffic) said co-operation would be needed if the rail sector was to achieve its target of a 25% market share by 2030.
NZE’s partners aim to operate a common network of wagonload services backed by intensive marketing to highlight their presence in the market and the unique selling points of the business. They will work together to simplify price quoting and improve the rail sector’s competitiveness, whilst ensuring that all activities respect anti-cartel legislation.
The group plans to publish an overview of conventional and intermodal loading options for single wagonloads. Members will ensure that customers are made aware of subsidies for private sidings for which customers may apply under legislation that came into force in January.
Technical advances in the wagon fleet will be publicised in a timely way so that customers are alerted to improvements. Specifically, the partners will work together to digitalise the various processes involved in organising wagonload services, aiming for standardised data exchange.
‘Single wagonload traffic accounts for 18% of the transport market in Germany and is an important backbone for industry’, said DB Cargo Board Chairman Dr Sigrid Nikutta. ‘Many industrial customers and medium-sized companies across the country and new customers with consumer or agricultural goods can benefit from climate-friendly rail logistics. Shunting and coupling wagons is still extremely time-consuming and really hard work. Digitalisation, especially the digital automatic coupler, spurs us on to make individual wagons more climate-friendly and more economical.’
NZE is keen to sign up more members, and reports that discussions are already in progress with numerous organisations. It is also seeking support from other organisations such as Netzwerk Europäischer Eisenbahnen, which has already made a commitment.
‘The economic and organisational challenges of single wagonload traffic in competition with road cannot be handled by a single company. But with many partners throughout Germany and Europe the chances of success for everyone improve’, explained Christian Betchen, Managing Diector of Kreisbahn Siegen-Wittgenstein.
NZE is co-ordinated by the Association of German Transport Companies, VDV, which notes that that Germany’s railways move 50 million tonnes of wagonload traffic a year, avoiding 20 000 lorry trips a day and the emission of 1∙5 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
NZE members
Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft
Bentheimer Eisenbahn AG
Chemion Logistik GmbH
DB Cargo
Duisport Rail (part of Duisburger Hafen AG)
Flex Bahndienstleistungen GmbH
Kreisbahn Siegen-Wittgenstein
Mindener Kreisbahn
RheinCargo GmbH
Rheinhafen Krefeld
Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs AG
Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn GmbH
