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The non-profit organization shift2030 and the startup digi-trust.EU are launching the innovative IT platform MATCH2RAIL. Shippers can easily upload their current and planned transport flows (door-to-door) into the database and receive a match with existing connections in combined transport.
(Berlin) The ongoing failure to meet climate targets in the transport sector has reached the shipping industry, which is now increasingly striving to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The most effective way to achieve this is by shifting transport to rail, which has up to 80% lower CO2 emissions and five times higher energy efficiency compared to diesel trucks, making it a true climate protector.
However, access to rail is not easy for shippers. This also applies to combined transport (CT), where different actors are involved along the transport chain and various technical parameters must be considered. As a result, shippers often lack a comprehensive overview of which routes they could already use the climate-friendly rail. Conversely, there is a lack of transparency on the provider side regarding which transports from shippers have the potential to create new rail connections.
No competition with established operators
To close this gap, the initiative shift2030, together with the IT startup digi-trust.EU, has launched the action MATCH2RAIL. Shippers can easily upload their current and planned transport flows (door-to-door) into a database and receive a match with existing connections in combined transport. “With MATCH2RAIL, we clearly and understandably show the shipping industry on which routes they can already benefit from using rail and actively contribute to climate protection. At the same time, we bundle shipment volumes for which there is currently no attractive offer on rail and create so-called ‘Virtual Trains’ to establish new connections,” says Sebastian Ruckes, board member of the initiative shift2030.
This is not intended to compete with established operators and intermodal freight forwarders in combined transport, who already partially perform this function today. Rather, it should be understood as a complement. Ruckes adds: “The MATCH2RAIL offer is particularly aimed at shippers who are not yet using rail. Thus, we can bring additional transports from the road to the rail. We depend on operators and intermodal freight forwarders in the market who can expand existing rail lines or establish new ones based on these new transport volumes.”
About shift2030
The non-profit organization shift2030 brings together all stakeholders committed to the modal shift from road to rail to achieve the climate targets for the transport sector by 2030. In close collaboration with the market, decision-makers from the transport industry, and shippers, the initiative pursues a practical approach and focuses on actions: it aims to demonstrate how the competitiveness of rail freight transport can be increased and what innovations are expected in the near future. shift2030 also points out hurdles and limitations that must be overcome to shift more freight from road to rail.
About digi-trust.EU
digi-trust.EU enables active collaboration between shippers through innovative methods and IT technology to reduce transport costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The startup emerged from the EU-funded project ‘NexTrust’, which demonstrated an innovative approach to legally secure collaboration in the European transport sector. digi-trust.EU is a partner of the initiative shift2030 and is among the TOP 10 logistics innovators recognized during the ‘Volkswagen Innovative Logistics Solution Day’ in 2019.
Photo: © Loginfo24/Adobe Stock
