Direct links from a one-stop shop
The ‘Schweizerzug’ now connects Switzerland and the port of Rotterdam with three round trips a week. Not every terminal operator has the infrastructure, the connections and a quantum of courage to set itself up in the railfreight segment. Seven years ago Swissterminal took the step, and is now expanding operations. It’s nothing but logical that the options have developed from hub solutions to direct links. Three partners of the ‘Schweizerzug’ (Swiss Train) presented the service in Zurich recently.
The seven-year itch is said to afflict some people after this amount of time in a marriage. Swissterminal, which wedded itself to international railfreight operations by launching its trans-European spin-off, the ‘Schweizerzug’ (Swiss Train), seven years ago, suffers from a positive version of the seven-year itch.
“We entered new territory in 2016 and were very pleased that the service worked reliably right from the start,” Roman Mayer elaborated at an anniversary celebration held in Zurich in February. He chairs the board of directors of Swissterminal, headquartered in Frenkendorf (Switzerland).
The anniversary event highlighted the latest upgrading of the service. Of course, railfreight solutions, like the whole transport world, are in a constant state of flux and follow market developments.
The goods used to be reloaded at the Neuss hub in an initial phase, heading to Rotterdam and Antwerp separately. Now direct trains have been established. “In 2022, schedule reliability was at the top of the agenda,” Mayer said of the final phase of the changeover. Now, together with partners such as DP World, the network has been suitably enhanced.
Why Rotterdam?
Howard Lamb, who represents Europe’s largest port in Switzerland and Austria, as well as in a series of other countries, made it clear that his gateway not only has its eye on the waters, but also on its hinterlands. Competition has changed, Lamb explained.
“In Rotterdam it’s no longer all about how many tonnes we handle every year. It’s also about how intelligent and sustainable the solutions on offer are and how they can make a difference.”
In the modal split, for example, the railways are expected to transport about 20% of the expected volume of 17 million teu by 2030, instead of 11% as is the case today. So Rotterdam will bank on rail solutions such as the ‘Schweizerzug’.
It’s faster by direct service
DP World’s Niels Dekker explained how the network of his group, which holds a 44% stake in Swissterminal, can be brought in to enhance the connections of the ‘Schweizerzug’. “Cargo from Swiss shippers is now bundled, be it in Niederglatt, near Zurich, or in Frenkendorf, near Basel. From there it’s brought to Rotterdam without any handling at an intermediate hub,” Dekker said.
The direct links feed into the Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) terminal on the Maasvlakte 2, with quays right on the North Sea. “Links to all the other terminals in the port are also possible,” Mayer added. His firm will initially run three round trips a week, with a 96 teu capacity each.
Of course, there’s still room for improvement. “We’re aiming to add another terminal in Rotterdam and to make some price improvements,” Mayer added. So we can expect the further development of this railfreight option.