Rotterdam rail shift cuts road mileage on Munich trailer corridor

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A group of Dutch companies has shifted trailer traffic between Rotterdam and Munich from road to rail, creating a new intermodal option for freight moving between the Netherlands, southern Germany and Austria.

Since May, Outdoor Life Group, Bos Dynamics, Hutchison Port Europe intermodal and Rail Service Center Rotterdam have used the existing Bayern Express rail service to transport trailers between Rotterdam and Munich.

The operation currently handles four southbound and four northbound trailers each week from a pool of ten units. The partners plan to increase volumes if the initial results continue to demonstrate reliable operations and lower emissions.

The project targets freight that would otherwise travel almost entirely by road. By placing trailers on trains for the longest section of the journey, the companies reduce truck mileage while retaining road transport for collection and final delivery.

Outdoor Life Group supplies wood products, garage doors and other long cargo. The company worked with logistics provider Bos Dynamics to identify a more efficient method for serving customers and facilities in southern Germany and Austria.

Trailers are collected by truck and delivered to Rail Service Center Rotterdam, where they are loaded onto the Bayern Express. The train carries them to Munich, after which trucks complete the final stage to destinations in Germany and Austria.

The same process operates in reverse for freight returning to the Netherlands.

Jelle Poldervaart, site manager at Outdoor Life Group, said the company had been examining ways to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of its supply chain.

“By working with Bos Dynamics, HPEI and RSC, we can organise our freight flows more efficiently while significantly reducing our carbon footprint,” Poldervaart said.

The arrangement uses an established train operated by Hutchison Port Europe intermodal. No new railway infrastructure or terminal construction was required.

The development shows that the main obstacle to modal shift is not always a lack of tracks or terminals. In some cases, the harder task is making sure that schedules, equipment and responsibilities fit together. A rail service may already exist, but can the shipper, haulier, terminal and train operator make it function as one supply chain?

The companies had to adapt operational procedures before the first trailers could move. They coordinated delivery times, loading requirements, terminal handling and onward distribution to prevent delays at either end of the corridor.

The trailers also had to meet the technical requirements of the rail service. At present, the Munich shuttle accepts crane liftable trailers, which can be transferred between road and rail equipment using terminal lifting machinery.

Gilbert Bal, business manager at the Port of Rotterdam Authority, said Rotterdam’s hinterland network allows companies to connect with existing corridors serving European economic centres.

“The port has an extensive network of rail connections to economic centres across Europe,” Bal said. “This enables companies to connect relatively easily to existing hinterland corridors and integrate intermodal solutions into their supply chains.”

The route offers an alternative for companies seeking to reduce their exposure to long distance trucking. Road transport remains essential for the first and final sections, but rail covers the central portion between Rotterdam and Bavaria.

This approach can help companies reduce road kilometres, driver requirements and carbon emissions without redesigning their entire logistics network.

The service began with ten trailers to give the partners enough equipment to maintain regular flows in both directions. Four trailers currently depart Rotterdam for Munich each week, while another four return to the Netherlands.

The parties intend to scale up the programme if service performance remains positive. Higher volumes would allow a larger share of Outdoor Life Group’s traffic to move by rail and could create opportunities for other shippers using the same trade lane.

Peter Schilte, sales and customer service representative at RSC Rotterdam, said the project provides a practical example for companies that currently rely on road transport for trailer movements within Europe.

“At present, only crane liftable trailers are transported to Munich by shuttle,” Schilte said. “However, if shippers or transport companies wish to transport non crane liftable trailers by shuttle in the future, we would certainly be open to discussing that.”

The project received support from Joint Corridors Off Road in South Holland and the Province of South Holland. The programme encourages cargo owners and logistics companies to move suitable freight from road transport to rail or inland waterways.

For the Rotterdam to Munich corridor, the partners have demonstrated that an existing train connection can accommodate regular trailer traffic when equipment, terminal handling and road distribution are coordinated around the rail schedule.

^{source: The Port of Rotterdam}