Keeping together what belongs together: U.S. Steel and DB Cargo have renewed their existing framework agreement until July 2023. The North American steel group, which has a steelworks in Košice, Slovakia, is thereby ensuring a long-term transport solution that makes sense for the environment and offers customers competitive prices – a solution for all transports in Germany and to Western Europe. U.S. Steel is also planning to further increase transport volumes in future. This will reduce pressure on roads and motorways, cutting traffic jams. “Lowering CO2 emissions is one of our stated aims as a company. By renewing our contract with DB Cargo, we are staying true to this approach,” says Martina Kováčová, General Manager Procurement, Center of Excellence at U.S. Steel, based in Košice, Slovakia.
Clean air for the High Tatra Mountains
Already in 2020, U.S. Steel avoided 12,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions by transporting steel by rail instead of lorry. For the current year, the steel group anticipates savings of 16,000 tonnes. In this way, the two partners are meeting the public demand for environmentally friendly transport solutions. Their cooperation will also help protect the landscape of the High Tatras, which will benefit from the reductions in CO2. One reason that steel belongs on rail is its high density. By comparison with other goods, its weight is immense, making it particularly well-suited for rail. A freight wagon can fit much more steel than a lorry’s loading area. Every tonne of freight that reaches its destination by train emits around 80% less CO2 than freight hauled by road.
Steel-on-steel offers flexibility
Steel producers and processors value certainty in planning. “With us, partners like U.S. Steel can plan with confidence, even if they have to ship large quantities at short notice,” says Mario Bahn, account manager at DB Cargo. The extensive railport network makes this possible. DB Cargo is continuing to expand this network for steel producers, too. In 2020, U.S. Steel Košice transported almost a quarter of a million tonnes of steel on the German rail network alone. This was all thanks to the partners’ strong teamwork in previous years. This year, the volume transported by rail is poised to rise by more than 25 percent to over 300.000 tonnes. “That is an incentive for us. We are glad to be able to put even more steel on the railways together with DB Cargo,” confirms Martina Kováčová, General Manager Procurement, Center of Excellence at U.S. Steel Košice.
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