"Our new 'Bayern Shuttle' is fast, flexible and climate-friendly. It shows how active climate protection can be directly linked to our customers' logistics processes. Even with customers who produce just-in-sequence," said Pierre Timmermans, Member of the Management Board for Sales at DB Cargo AG on Wednesday in Berlin, "a single freight train replaces up to 52 trucks. Rail is already saving our global climate 80 to 100 percent CO₂ compared to road transport."

Environmental benefits of rail demonstrated
"The Bayern Shuttle clearly demonstrates the environmental benefits of rail. The great thing is that it can also be transferred to other sectors. We can already offer every customer a completely CO₂-free supply chain for all goods," praises Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, DB Board Member for Freight Transport and CEO of DB Cargo, "a great team effort - with a clear focus on the needs of our customers."

A shuttle system transports steel by rail from voestalpine in Linz, Austria, to the region's major car manufacturers and their suppliers in Bavaria. In the opposite direction, the freight trains transport scrap and other recyclable materials from the car plants to the steelworks in Linz. In this way, more than half a million tons of goods are moved every year. The new cycle protects the environment and the highways.

This convinced the jury of the German Logistics Association (BVL). BVL President Prof. Dr. Thomas Wimmer: "Combining block trains with single wagon advantages - that is much more complex than it sounds. Completely new principles have been implemented here for the railroads. Several end customers are served from one block train, with mostly fluctuating and difficult to predict transport requirements. The massive time savings during transportation are particularly impressive."

CO₂ emissions offset by "green" electricity
voestalpine has also ordered CO₂-free traction current and logistics chains from DB Cargo. Even CO₂ emissions caused by onward carriage by truck, for example, are offset by purchasing additional "green" electricity. Logistics partner CargoServ also exclusively uses CO₂-neutral electricity on the Austrian section of the route. As a result, the DB Cargo Bayern Shuttle saves around 8,000 tons of CO₂ per year compared to trucks.