Press Release 08 Jun 2022

A big step for e-mobility  

On Tuesday, 7 June 2022 Contargo and Rhenus Trucking received funding approvals authorised by the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Dr. Volker Wissing, for 28 battery-driven 44-tonners and the relevant infrastructure. The trucks will be in service at the terminals of the Contargo container hinterland logistics network, enabling customers to be offered even more climate-friendly transports in future.

Rhenus Trucking will now place immediate orders for the vehicles with various manufacturers, making them available progressively to their customers and to sister company Contargo.

 “We feel we have a responsibility to proactively drive the transport change together with our customers”, says Jürgen Albersmann, Managing Director, Contargo GmbH & Co. KG. “Thus we are cooperating closely with fleet management experts at Rhenus Trucking, who are doing an excellent job of advancing our impulses for the implementation of electromobility in the Rhenus Group.”

Germany-wide deployment in local “last mile” transport

Contargo will put the battery-driven semi-trailer tractors into service at its locations in Döhlau/Hof, Duisburg, Emmelsum, Emmerich, Frankfurt-Höchst, Frankfurt-Ost, Gustavsburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Koblenz, Ludwigshafen, Mannheim, Neuss, Weil am Rhein and Wörth am Rhein.

“For Rhenus, building up a battery-driven truck fleet is a statement in favour of this technology, which represents an excellent alternative to vehicles with combustion engines at present”, says Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director, Rhenus Trucking GmbH & Co. KG.

“Intermodal transport with a range of up to 250 km per day between the terminal and the customer is an ideal use for these vehicles”, explains Michael Starke, Managing Director, Rhenus Trucking GmbH & Co. KG. “Their performance and capacity are equal in every way to conventional semitrailers.”

Charging infrastructure as a basis for climate-friendly transports

The support programme in accordance with guideline KsNI (for environmentally friendly commercial vehicles and infrastructure) is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the use of alternative drives for the transport of goods by road. The funding authorisation covers not only 28 heavy semi-trailer tractor units, but also the charging infrastructure such as transformers, battery storage, energy management systems and all the work necessary to put these in place.

“By installing the charging infrastructure at our terminal locations, the foundations will be laid for climate-neutral hinterland transports to and from the seaports”, says Kristin Kahl, responsible for Sustainable Solutions at Contargo GmbH & Co. KG. “In future the e-trucks powered by green electricity, in combination with trains using green power, will provide a very climate-friendly transport solution.”

Contargo, together with Rhenus Trucking, adopted the approach towards e-mobility early on. In 2019 Contargo started operating the first battery-driven semi-trailer units, which soon included four e-trucks and a hybrid catenary truck operating at different locations.

Photo (l.to.r.): Jürgen Albersmann, Managing Director Contargo, Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director Rhenus Trucking, Daniela Kluckert, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Kristin Kahl, responsible for Sustainable Solutions at Contargo and Michael Starke, Managing Director Rhenus Trucking (Source: Basti Wöhl/BMDV)

About Rhenus

The Rhenus Group is one of the leading logistics specialists with global business operations and annual turnover amounting to EUR 7.0 billion. 37,500 employees work at 970 business sites and develop innovative solutions along the complete supply chain. Whether providing transport, warehousing, customs clearance or value-added services, the family-owned business pools its operations in various business units where the needs of customers are the major focus at all times.

About Contargo

With an annual transport volume of 2.1 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. Contargo has 25 container terminals at its disposal in Germany, France and Switzerland and additional locations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. The enterprise also operates its own barge and rail lines. In 2021 the workforce of 1,200 employees achieved a turnover of 566 million Euro.