DB Cargo Board Sets Signals to Green for CO2-Free Rail Logistics

DB Cargo customers can already travel 100 percent with green electricity in freight transport today. Sustainable rail logistics contribute to the value creation of green products. With a symbolic container action in major German cities and along highways, DB Cargo promotes the new climate goals in time for Earth Day on April 22.

(Mainz) The board of the largest European freight railway is consistently setting the signals to green. “We want to offer CO2-free rail logistics for all customers,” said the board of DB Cargo AG at its board meeting in Mainz. “A single freight train replaces an average of 52 trucks. Rail already saves our global climate 80 to 100 percent CO2 compared to road transport,” explains the chairwoman of the DB Cargo board, Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, on Earth Day, which takes place on Thursday, April 22.

With a symbolic container action in major German cities and along highways, DB Cargo promotes the new climate goals. “Hand on it: We can already offer every customer a completely CO2-free supply chain for all goods today,” promises DB Cargo. “We can do this because we rely on the largest environmental network in European land transport – the rail network,” says Dr. Nikutta. “It is now about creating awareness for green supply chains not only at the management level of our cargo customers but also among consumers.”

DB Cargo Aims to Operate Climate-Neutral by 2050

Already today, electric locomotives provide 95 percent of the traction power of DB Cargo. The energy required can also be fed in 100 percent as green electricity if customers wish. In addition, DB Cargo can also offer climate-neutral transport for goods “on the last mile to the customer” – and specifically offset through climate certificates. “Not only the ecological balance of rail freight transport – our DNA as Deutsche Bahn is also green,” says Dr. Nikutta, looking at the climate goals of Deutsche Bahn. By 2050, the largest European railway company aims to operate climate-neutrally. “The farewell to diesel is not difficult for us: We have made the crucial decisions in the board to convert our entire locomotive fleet to electric and alternative drive concepts in the medium term.

More Effective Through Digitalization

Furthermore, digitalization helps us to become even more effective – and thus more climate-friendly for our customers, says Dr. Nikutta in a statement on Earth Day. “The Corona crisis has not stopped global warming; on the contrary. According to the UN Weather Organization (WMO), 2020 was the second warmest year on record.” The concentration of climate-damaging greenhouse gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere has also reached a new record level, according to the WMO annual report from Monday, April 19, 2021.

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 in over 175 countries. It aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and calls for change.

Photo: © DB Cargo: Image Caption: DB Cargo board in front of a green container, DB Cargo headquarters Mainz, from left to right: Pierre Timmermans, Dr. Ursula Biernert, Ralf Günter Kloß, Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, Thorsten Dieter, Dr. Martina Niemann