CargoBeamer transports 20,000 trailers from Girteka

Girteka, one of the largest fleet operators in European road transport, and CargoBeamer, a leading operator of rail connections and terminals for non-craneable semi-trailers in Europe, have reached a significant milestone in their partnership. In October 2023, both companies successfully transported the 20,000th Girteka semi-trailer since the beginning of their collaboration on a CargoBeamer train. Girteka is the first transport company to achieve this milestone with CargoBeamer.

(Leipzig/Vilnius) The partnership between the two companies originated in October 2017, when Girteka first booked semi-trailer units on CargoBeamer trains. The main corridor for the jointly conducted intermodal transport has since been the route from Kaldenkirchen (Germany) to Domodossola (Italy). In the summer and autumn of 2020, both companies successfully conducted several test trains between Germany and Lithuania, namely between Kaldenkirchen and Šeštokai as well as between Kaldenkirchen and Kaunas. To further confirm their joint commitment to sustainable logistics, the partnership between Girteka and CargoBeamer was expanded through collaboration on two new intermodal routes in January 2022. In October of this year, the latest milestone was reached: the environmentally friendly transport of more than 20,000 Girteka semi-trailers by rail.

Decarbonization of Logistics

The transport sector in Europe is undergoing a transformation that underscores the urgency of decarbonizing supply chains. Currently, road transport accounts for 25% of total emissions in Europe, making it one of the main contributors to CO₂ emissions. In response to this challenge, the European Union has developed the “Fit for 55” strategy, which aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. One of the levers identified by the European Commission to achieve this goal is intermodal transport solutions. Therefore, Girteka and CargoBeamer have committed to jointly making freight transport more climate-friendly.

“The flexibility and capacity that large logistics companies like Girteka bring are essential to maintaining the flow of goods in Europe, especially in uncertain times. By integrating road and rail with intermodal concepts, we are creating a logistics network that is not only more sustainable but also more adaptable to upcoming challenges. We are very pleased to have Girteka as a cornerstone of our network for many years and to now celebrate the 20,000th Girteka trailer on our trains,” says Boris Timm, Chief Operating Officer at CargoBeamer.

Significant CO₂ Savings

Since the beginning of the collaboration between CargoBeamer and Girteka, the two companies have saved a total of 16,617 tons of CO₂ emissions compared to road transport by diesel trucks. Of this, 15,044 tons of CO₂ is the direct reduction of carbon dioxide emissions achieved by using rail instead of road. An additional 1,572 tons of CO₂ have been fully compensated as part of CargoBeamer’s climate neutrality program, which has been in place since early 2022. The total emissions reduction is comparable to about 3% of the quarterly emissions of the state of Malta.

“We are not just transporting goods from A to B. We are committed to doing this in a way that protects the environment. CargoBeamer helps us by facilitating and accelerating the shift from road to rail, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions,” says Mindaugas Pasilauskas, CEO of Girteka Europe West.

During the collaboration with CargoBeamer, Girteka’s freight loads have already covered more than 17.2 million kilometers. CargoBeamer’s innovative horizontal and parallel loading and unloading technology enables the rapid processing of intermodal trains in a record turnaround time of about 20 minutes, allowing units to cover the 825 km route between Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola in about 22 hours. The first company-owned terminal with horizontal transshipment technology was opened in 2021 in Calais, France. Two more CargoBeamer terminals, equipped with the unique loading technology, are set to launch soon in Kaldenkirchen and Domodossola.

Collaboration as a Concrete Example

The collaboration between Girteka and CargoBeamer is a concrete example of how intermodal transport and the integration of road and rail logistics can be both economically viable and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the partnership highlights the efficiency of intermodal transport in reducing CO₂ emissions while providing a resilient solution for intra-European supply chains.

Photo: © Girteka