The company does not have its own private siding or nearby rail access, so all freight transport has to be carried out by lorry. Many companies are under this misconception, but the solution is actually quite simple: the intermodal services offered by DB Cargo Full Load Solutions (DB Cargo FLS). These services combine the best aspects of rail and road transport.
Intermodal transport: good for the climate and the roads
Intermodal transport combines multiple modes of transport in a single transport chain without requiring the goods to be reloaded; they remain in the same load unit from start to finish. The load units (usually craneable trailers or containers) are driven by lorry to the nearest container terminal, transferred to rail there, picked up by lorries at the destination terminal, and then transported to the final destination. This reduces environmentally harmful emissions by up to 80% compared with pure lorry transport while relieving congested roads. Christian Lang, Chief Commercial Officer of DB Cargo FLS, is satisfied with the results, saying "Intermodal products combine the best of both worlds: flexibility and short transit times plus a significant reduction in CO2 emissions."
DB Cargo FLS's new trade lanes: high capacity and efficiency
DB Cargo FLS is investing heavily in intermodal services to advance the shift to green rail. In 2023, the DB Cargo subsidiary expanded its trade lane between Nuremberg and Hamburg and its international trade lanes between Sweden and Italy, Germany and Italy, and the Netherlands and Italy.
Craneable trailers are ideal for intermodal transport.
DB Cargo FLS offers flexible, efficient and environmentally friendly logistics solutions for all companies aiming to transport goods on these routes while reducing their carbon footprints. These trade lanes have high capacity and are designed for round trips, so they can be booked in both directions. The advantage of the first and last mile by lorry is that both sender and recipient can maintain their accustomed loading and unloading processes. And should capacity on the train be exhausted, customers can be offered a flexible door-to-door solution based on road transport. It's a smart and effective way to combine road and rail.
By using intermodal transport, customers benefit from the classic advantages of rail freight, such as the higher payloads compared with lorry transport and predictable transit times. Not only is that good for the climate, it also saves time and makes logistics more efficient. For more information on our intermodal routes, see website DB Cargo FLS.
H. von Gimborn uses trade lane within Germany
H. von Gimborn GmbH, a German producer of pet products, uses the German domestic trade lane between Nuremberg and Hamburg to transport cat litter. The cat litter is transported by lorry from Kelheim to Nuremberg, where the trailer is transferred to rail. The trailer travels by rail to Hamburg overnight, and from there the cat litter is delivered by lorry to the recipient in Wahlstedt. Rail's share of the overall route is around 75%, meaning that CO2 emissions on the main leg are reduced by up to 80% compared with pure road transport. In addition, intermodal transport allows a significantly higher payload of up to 28 tonnes compared with the maximum payload of 24 tonnes permitted for lorries. DB Cargo FLS transports between five and ten loads across Germany for H. von Gimborn GmbH this way every week.
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