A new DB Cargo rail freight service is bringing the industrial heartlands of southern Sweden and Germany’s Ruhr region closer together. Each with a load of 1,600 tonnes, six services a week will run between these two vital economic important region, with a transport time of 18 hours.

Growing number

Originally developed to run between Malmö and Cologne for the steel companies SSAB and Outokumpu, a growing number of customers are now using the train as a way of moving freight volumes onto rail via this single-wagon system. Once in Cologne, cargoes can easily be transferred via shuttle connections to the wider region, as well as The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Katja Janschersky, DB’s Head of Rail Services in Sweden, said: “The train is a real alternative to road transport. Thanks to the frequent departures and the fixed transport time, it offers industrial customers who are active in the regions around Malmö and Cologne competitive conditions and a high level of plannability. There are no limitations in terms of size, weight or type of freight – the train is available to all customers.”

Indispensible

The company meanwhile has also marked 10 successful years for what it calls the ‘indispensible’ combined transport terminal in Lovosice, in the Czech Republic, It has shared ownership of the terminal with ČD Cargo, and it is run by ČD-DUSS Terminál, It was set up in 2007 to move freight from overstretched roads between Dresden and the industrial region of north-western Bohemia and onto the railways.

Today, as well as being a vital hub between east and west, it also provides numerous opportunities for logistics operators and freight carriers. Business is now booming, with some 43,000 TEUs moved every year, carried by more than 15,000 freight wagons.

Great potential

Terminal manager Jaromir Cabalka said: “Between 1994 and 2004, the rolling highway ran from Dresden to Lovosice. After the end of the concept of transporting trucks on freight wagons, it became clear that there was great potential here for a combined-transport terminal. In the handling of modified trailers and swap bodies, we are the largest operator in the Czech Republic.”

Plans are advanced for adding another 700 metres of tracks, along with the extension of container storage space terminal is continuing to grow: next 700 metres of tracks are prepared in a project as well as a nine-hectare extension of container storage space by nine hectares.