In a “negative as expected” year, Deutsche Bahn’s financial performance was again in the red. Losses were not avoided in 2023, and the Group’s freight subsidiary DB Cargo was no exception. The state-owned freight carrier did not meet the target of closing 2023 with a loss of 225 million euros. Instead, the company reported EBIT…
Category: Business
Rail freight across the Alps dropped, but not because of the Gotthard
Freight transport across the Alps in 2023 decreased both when it comes to road and rail, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT). Concerning rail freight, volumes dropped by 5.9 per cent compared to 2022. The FOT stated that the main cause is the general economic situation in Europe, and not the closure…
FESCO signs rail agreements with 5 Chinese logistics companies
Russian logistics company FESCO has signed agreements with five Chinese logistics companies. The agreements, by and large, concern rail freight. FESCO has entered into agreements with five Chinese logistics companies. The Russian company signed an agreement with Weisa International Logistics Group, in which the two companies agree to work together for rail freight optimisation on…
Port of Hamburg records downward performance in 2023, modest decline also for rail
Intermodal and rail transport in the Port of Hamburg has seen better years than in 2023. The German port’s financial and volume performance declined noticeably last year, and rail did not get away with it. Intermodal container transport recorded a 5.4 per cent volume decrease compared to 2022, while rail container transport declined by 3.1…
MSC plans to build 1,000 wagons in former Wärtsilä plant in Trieste
Shipping giant MSC is working on taking over the industrial area near the port of Trieste formerly occupied by Wärtsilä, a Finnish maritime equipment manufacturer. MSC is planning on reconverting the factory into a rail rolling stock production facility, intending to churn out 1,000 wagons per year. MSC recently held a meeting with various Italian…
Kazakh exporters worried as KTZ plans another fee hike
Kazakh Railways (KTZ) wants to raise its fees for rail freight. The rail operator and infrastructure manager points to its outstanding debt as the culprit for a potential price hike. KTZ earlier received criticism for frequently raising its fees. Kazakh exporters are worried about their competitiveness. KTZ applied to the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy…
DB Cargo to be divided into six units?
The German state-owned rail freight operator is facing an uncertain future due to significant losses and proceedings from the European Commission (EC). In an attempt to become profitable, DB Cargo might be divided into six divisions dedicated to different types of transport. The initiative was shared by German media RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), which cites a…
Lack of Baltic commercial operators hinders intermodality, says Samskip
A lack of commercial operators hinders the development of intermodal routes in the Baltics, according to Dutch logistics company Samskip. The company would like to create an extended rail link to rail for its new shortsea service to Klaipeda, but the absence of commercially operated intermodal routes proves to be a major hindrance. However, the…
D’Agostino SRL: ‘Investing in intermodality pays off’
The European rail freight sector is facing challenging times, with many companies struggling to remain viable. Despite this, some companies are thriving, like D’Agostino SRL, an Italian transport company that has seen significant growth in its rail modal share, thanks to its focus on intermodality. “Currently, over 70 percent of our sales come from intermodal…
How has the German chemical industry dealt with rail strikes?
With Germany caught up in frequent rail strikes, the sector has been facing difficulties with the transportation of goods. The branch organisation of the German chemical industry (VCI) sounded the alarm bells ahead of last week’s 24-hour strike. VCI warned that the industry cannot cope with more strikes. RailFreight.com reached out to VCI and chemical […]