Archives



Freight News, Rail, Sea


Samskip adds rail option from Germany to Scandinavia

[ October 14, 2022   //   ]

Intermodal carrier Samskip and Hector Rail have started a three-times weekly block train service connecting Duisburg and Rostock in response to requests for more multimodal capacity between Germany, Sweden and Finland.    

The all-electric train links the Duisburg Hohenbudberg terminal and the Rostock Trimodal terminal where ro-ro connections are available.

It opens a new routing option between Germany’s Ruhr region and south-east Netherlands and Sweden’s key Stockholm/Gävle/Örebro/Jönköping region, Finland and other Baltic markets.

Departing from Duisburg on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the 700m long trains arrive in Rostock on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to coincide with Hansa’s ferry connection to Nynäshamn (south of Stockholm). Having entered the market in August 2021, Hansa has developed substantial freight volumes into and out of the Swedish midlands, with the regular Nynäshamn call periodically augmented by stopovers at Visby.

Samskip can also connections with separate daily ferry departures to Trelleborg on the southern tip of Sweden and, Kotka , Hanka and Rauma in Finland.

Samskip already offers an containerised rail services connecting Duisburg with destinations in Sweden, operating its own block trains into Katrineholm, Falköping and Nässjö 14 times a week.

Managing director of Hector Rail, Stig Kyster-Hansen, said: “Hector Rail is delighted to be able to expand its excellent long-term cooperation with Samskip by establishing a two-way intermodal offer between the Ruhr area and Scandinavia,” commented

Shortsea operations out of Rostock represent a strategic addition to transport options for all types of multimodal freight customers, added Samskip’s head of trade for Sweden, Gert-Jan Meijer. In addition to offering capacity for ISO containers, mega trailers and P400 trailers, wagons can accommodate non-cranable trailers, opening the new route to a wide range of third party and shippers’ own equipment.

“There has been a clear need to increase capacity between Germany and Scandinavia based on growing trade volumes and new requests, but high diesel prices and continuing driver shortages are also steering more cargo away from the road. Offering an additional high-frequency service option consolidates the competitive edge that multimodal  has over road haulage in terms of reliability in the supply chain.” 

Commercial manager of Hector Rail, Thomas Vitte, added: “Through this broader service offer it will be possible to attract more cargo to rail with an even more competitive and efficient product, thereby enhancing sustainable transport solutions between Germany and Scandinavia.”

High frequency in rail services strengthens the case for sustainable transport, Meijer concluded. “Our larger customers want to do more using lower carbon options, new customers are knocking on the door and it’s fair to say that there is a general mood in Germany that now is the time to switch away from road.”

The combination of all-electric rail traction, short sea economies of scale, short last-mile over the road operations and flexibility on unitised options “epitomises what Samskip is striving to deliver in sustainable connections for the European logistics market”, said Meijer. “We want to thank Hector Rail, Hansa Destinations and the Port of Rostock and to celebrate this joint effort in making Green logistics easy.”

Tags: ,