Duisburger Hafen AG (duisport) has acquired a stake in the rail technology company CargoBeamer AG as part of its efforts to steer cargo transportation away from Germany’s road network.
In a statement, duisport said CargoBeamer’s fully automatic system is primarily used for transporting all kinds of craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers by rail.
It consists of special railway cars and handling terminals. During loading and unloading the semi-trailers are driven and parked in the pallets, which are then shifted horizontally and fully automatically into the waiting train.
CargoBeamer enables the complete loading and unloading of a cargo train with up to 36 wagons in less than 20 minutes, while the process is completely digitalized.
The CargoBeamer wagon technology is also fully compatible with typical cranes and reach stackers used in classic intermodal transport.
Therefore, nearly every existing intermodal terminal is able to handle CargoBeamer wagons.
Customers such as freight forwarders can bring their semi-trailers to the rail terminal from where they are transported to their destination by rail.
Erich Staake, chairman of duisport, said, “Those who want to relocate transport away from roads have to transfer semi-trailers towards rail. CargoBeamer therefore offers an excellent solution with its handling technology.
“It has developed a pioneering concept in environmentally friendly and sustainable mobility solutions.
“I am glad that our shareholders have approved the investment in addition to the already existing and successful partnership.”
Both companies will work together towards developing a digitally automated handling for semi-trailers from road to rail.
Combined with robotized warehouses and the electromobile distribution of goods on the ‘last mile’, an efficient European model for a sustainable transport network is to be created in the centre of North Rhine-Westphalia.
A joint terminal project based on the CargoBeamer infrastructure will be an important component of this development, duisport said.
As part of this project, the new CBoXX technology from CargoBeamer is to be directly integrated into operation.
The high-volume rail container can be loaded and unloaded autonomously in the terminal. Consequently, a high-performance offer for LTL / LCL volumes (freight quantities with piece sizes below an entire semi-trailer or container) can be brought to the market.
Robert Osterrieth, chairman of the supervisory board of CargoBeamer AG, said, “We are very pleased to further strengthen our already successful strategic cooperation with duisport’s participation in CargoBeamer.
“duisport offers ideal conditions for expanding transport routes far into Asia in the future and, as the largest inland port in Europe, opens up enormous potential for connections throughout the world.
“duisport shares CargoBeamers vision of drastically increasing rail freight transport with innovative rail logistics.”
