Press Release 07 May 2019

Contargo receives first E-truck for container transports

On 6 May in Duisburg container hinterland logistics network Contargo put the first of six container trucks with electric motors into operation. This is a step towards the enterprise’s planned decarbonisation by 2050 at the latest.

A semi-trailer with an electric motor was recently delivered by Dutch truck manufacturer DAF to Rhenus Trucking, who as service providers are making this vehicle – and other E-trucks in the fleet – available to their customer Contargo.

The first E-truck in the fleet will go to DIT Duisburg Intermodal Terminal, where it will be used for the delivery and collection of containers at many different loading points. In the next few days DIT is to receive a second E-truck. Four more 44-tonners will be delivered in the course of 2019 to Contargo’s terminals in Neuss and Emmerich, two manufactured by Framo and two by Eforce.

“Here investments are being made in innovative technologies”, said North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Transport Hendrik Wüst. “This protects the environment and strengthens North Rhine-Westphalia as a location for industry. The experience gathered by Contargo with the E-truck fleet over the next few years will also benefit others.”

Michael Viefers, Rhenus Management Board, said: “The willingness to test out new technologies in order to provide resource-conserving logistics is strongly characterised at Rhenus. We have an open attitude to technologies, meaning that we will continually develop our vehicle fleet sustainably for the benefit of our customers – whether driven by batteries, hydrogen, LNG or CNG.”

Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director of Rhenus Trucking, says: “Together with our customer Contargo we are adopting an innovative approach that no other logistics service provider has taken so far. The six E-trucks that we have ordered for the use of Contargo will constitute the first battery-driven truck fleet in Germany. By this course of action we are sending the signal in various directions that this technology has at future.”

“We have set ourselves the goal of becoming decarbonised by 2050 at the latest. Since especially the transport modes of truck and barge produce most CO₂ emissions, this is where we are taking action. With the six E-trucks in operation, CO₂ emissions will be reduced by at least 38 percent compared to the use of diesel trucks – even with conventional electricity. When we have switched completely to green electricity at all the participating terminals, the CO₂ emissions will be reduced by as much as 89 percent”, says Kristin Kahl, Sustainable Solutions, Contargo GmbH & Co. KG.

With an annual transport volume of 2 million TEU, Contargo is one of the largest container logistics networks in Europe. Contargo integrates container transport between the western seaports, the German North Sea ports and the European hinterland. The enterprise has 24 container terminals at its disposal in Germany, France and Switzerland and maintains offices at seven additional locations in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Contargo also operates its own barge and rail lines. In 2018 the workforce of 1,133 employees achieved a turnover of 534 million Euro.

Heinrich Kerstgens, Contargo GmbH & Co. KG, Rheinkaistrasse 2, 68159 Mannheim, Tel.: +49 621 59007 184, hkerstgens@contargo.net