Port zone 6A includes the Petrol, IJsland and Amerika Zuid terminals: all rail connections around the Marshall Dock.

The operator has long driven block trains for Exxon Mobil in zone 6A, but it is now adding single wagonload (SWL) operations to all terminals in the area to its service offering. That means a rail connection between distribution centre Antwerpen-Noord and zone 6A, for which HSL Belgium can move all freight wagons from all possible customers to any terminal.

High quality rail freight

HSL Belgium believes it can boost rail freight efficiency through its takeover of operations. “Thanks to our efficient SWL system, we ensure shorter turnaround times: the customer receives their goods faster and has quicker access to the means of transport (the wagon)”, comments Customer Service Director Thomas Vinck.

“Adding this SWL transport to our service and expertise is a major step forward. This allows us to attract several new customers, many of whom were unfamiliar with us. It’s a unique opportunity to position ourselves in the market as a reliable, flexible railway company that focuses not only on spot trains but also on regular services and complex SWL flows.”

Road to further expansion

The conquest of port zone 6A could function as a jumping pad for further expansion in the port, HSL Belgium says. “If we can make a positive internal analysis of our first months in zone 6A, this new tender would immediately present a great opportunity to further increase our market share”, says CEO Bart Smout.

“Moreover, it would also increase our contribution to the modal shift: the more zones we manage, the more companies we will help reduce their environmental footprint thanks to our sustainable logistics. 2025 was an absolute record year. We expect to continue this success in 2026 and hope for another year full of opportunities and further growth. Given that we will also be celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2026, this would be the icing on the cake.”

Decarbonisation

In 2025, HSL Belgium acquired Belgium’s first-ever hybrid diesel-electric freight locomotive. The company announces that it is continuing its mission to decarbonise its operations with a second hybrid DE18 locomotive now operational.

HSL uses its first DE18 locomotive to transport tank wagons between Antwerpen-Noord an Antwerpen-Petrol for the Exxon refinery. The second DE18 locomotive, taken into use in mid-December, will be used for national connections, including the transport of empty wagons from Antwerp to the sugar refinery in Statte and automotive trains between Montzen and Zeebrugge.

The service will run five times a week and will allow for further connections in Italy, such as the terminal in Pomezia, near Rome. The new rail link is the first tangible result since FS Logistix acquired a 30% stake in the Antwerp Main Hub, the Italian company added. This agreement was also signed in September. Other than managing the terminal, Modalink will also operate the feeder intermodal services from and to the different quays in the port.

Covering an area of 200,000 square metres, the terminal is equipped with eight tracks of 700 metres in length and can move around 200,000 containers every year. “In addition to the launch of Modalink, Lineas and FS Logistix are cooperating to enhance services on the Antwerp-Milan line”, the Belgian company highlighted.

Lineas looking for liquidity

Up until now, Lineas was the sole manager of the Antwerp Main Hub. However, the company is in some financial troubles and has been looking for cash for quite some time after nearing bankruptcy. “This transaction is the final step of Lineas to refocus on traction services and stop the Intermodal Operator activity”, the company added. With some help from private investors and, above all, a stronger state presence in the company, Lineas seems to be on the right track.

Similarly, the Antwerp-Bruges port states that there is relatively little congestion for sea ships, although barges can still encounter problems. The primary issue, according to their Rotterdam counterparts, is with hinterland transport.

Despite the decline of rail’s share in the modal split, Rotterdam says that rail freight is still indispensable resolving those problems. Antwerp also points to “robust infrastructure”, but does not single out rail as a solution for congestion issues.

Ongoing improvements and a role for rail

“In order to continue transporting the increasing flow of containers to the hinterland in an efficient manner, the Port of Rotterdam, [Dutch infrastructure manager] ProRail, and the Ministry of Infrastructure are investing in sustainable and efficient rail development”, the Rotterdam port says. It hopes to achieve sufficient rail capacity, reliable infrastructure and affordable rail usage fees in the Netherlands.

In addition, the APMT and RWG terminals in Rotterdam are currently getting an expansion, which is set to nearly double container capacity. What’s more, a digitisation programme by the name of Rail Connected looks to improve efficiency, transparency, and cooperation in rail freight. It does so through standardised data exchanges between terminals, rail operators, and carriers.

Those steps will contribute to an increase in container handling capacity, but disruptions and volatility will remain. And for that reason, there is no predictable end date for the port congestion. “It is important to make maximum use of the existing port infrastructure to strike a balance between the seaside and the hinterland”, the Rotterdam port adds. It wants to be resilient and have the ability to deal with future disruptions – and rail can play a role in that.

Of the total sum of money from the European RRF fund, 69,2 million euros will go to Infrabel and 6,95 million euros to NMBS. The additional funds will make rail traffic safer, more sustainable and more accessible.

Out of the additional funds for Infrabel, almost 29 million euros will go to the renovation of 32 sections of track and 18 freight infrastructures. Furthermore, bottlenecks will be eliminated on a number of important lines, such as Brussels-Luxembourg. A digital rail traffic management system should ensure greater punctuality.

Line 11

A large part of the additional funds, some 31 million euros, will go towards the electrification of line 11, a key rail access to the Port of Antwerp. The electrification of the line will provide faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly rail transport. The plan for such an upgrade has existed since 2023, but European money has only been allocated two years down the line.

As part of that same plan, Infrabel wants to create a double track on a five-kilometre section towards the Dutch border, boosting rail capacity. The infrastructure manager explains that line 11 is vital for the northern part of the Antwerp port, being the only rail access to the area. Much chemical industry is located there, and Infrabel expects economic growth and increased container traffic in that part of the port.

A project for an overhead junction of lines 11 and 27b in Ekeren-Oude Landen (pictured) is also still ongoing but the permit for those works has already been annulled several times.

High-performance and sustainable rail network

Federal Minister Jean-Luc Crucke says he will continue to invest in a high-performance and sustainable rail network. “Thanks to these additional funds, Infrabel and NMBS/SNCB will be able to accelerate the implementation of essential projects. This is excellent news for the rail sector, soft mobility, the climate, safety and, above all, rail users,” the minister said.

This article was originally published by our sister publication Flows.be.

“Aligned with PSA’s Node to Network strategy, we are continuously working to strengthen our terminals’ hinterland connectivity to offer our customers an expanding suite of multimodal, efficient, and sustainable solutions. With this new rail connection, 26,000 TEUs will be transported annually between Zeebrugge and Antwerp”, commented Edward Tah, Managing Director at PSA Belgium.

Hinterland connections

Whereas the service primarily connects the Zeebrugge and Noordzee terminals of PSA, it also pays a visit to Lineas’ MainHub in Antwerp. That allows for further integration with European hinterland destinations. “By picking up empty containers and consolidating export cargo, maximum utilisation of the train is ensured”, says Lineas.

Lineas came out with this video announcement of the new rail connection. Video: © Lineas

“This new service fits perfectly into our strategy to further expand the rail network with frequent, reliable connections between the most important ports and industrial clusters. By making smart combinations of imports and exports via our MainHub, we are increasing efficiency and making a tangible contribution to the modal shift and climate targets”, adds Lineas CEO Erik Van Ockenburg.

RCG specifies that Duisburg and Antwerp are important rail logistics hubs, and by connecting them, the rail operator “offers seamless transport to and from Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Italy and the entire Southern and Southeastern European region.” The company has connections from Duisburg that further extend into other regions of Europe.

“Our dedication to multimodal transport solutions has been highly successful, strengthening XPO´s position in the combined road, sea and rail transportation market. The implementation of multimodal solutions is a crucial step in enhancing the efficiency of our customers’ goods movement while also reducing their supply chain carbon footprint to help them meet sustainability objectives”, a representative of XPO Logistics commented.”

Antwerp – Madrid route

We are confident that the new corridor between Belgium and Turkey will result in environmental efficiencies, enhanced safety, and reduced transit times for our customers.”

Moreover, Kombiverkehr is launching a new intermodal rail service between the Combinant terminal in the Port of Antwerp and the Abroginal terminal in Madrid. It plans to launch the service on 3 September. The company offers transportation services for containers, swap bodies, safe and dangerous goods, Kombiverkehr says. Trains will run twice a week.

Vital for UK ability to trade

On the face of it, this is a maritime project. However, the broader implications for logistics handling involve all the onshore handling as well. The dredging project has increased the depth of the approach channel from 14,5 meters to 16 meters, and the Berths (numbered eight and nine) have gone from 16 meters to 18 meters below chart datum. In land-lubber terms, that’s “was deep; is now very deep indeed”. Robert Ashton, Chief Operating Officer of the Port of Felixstowe, expressed the significance of this project, stating, “It provides levels of access that are unequalled anywhere else in the UK.”

The OOCL Felixstowe (of the Orient Overseas Container Line) was among the first ships to benefit from the deeper channel, but the works are to enable even more massive visitors, like the Maersk Mumbai – a ship capable of carrying more value in one laid than the GDP of several small countries. The enhancements not only accommodate larger vessels but also improve berthing windows and increase the number of ultra-large vessels that can enter or leave the port on each high tide.

Implications for rail freight handling

The trajectory in container ship design is for ever greater capacity. This development was not just a case of keeping up with ports around the world; it’s vital for the UK’s ability to trade and also for Felixstowe to remain competitive in the European market. Only last week, Antwerp’s port authority announced improved rail handling procedures, and one need only look to the decline at Hamburg, where rail traffic is in reverse, to see the warnings of standing still in this highly competitive market.

Deepening Felixstowe’s channels has immediate implications for rail freight handling at the port. With the ability to accommodate larger vessels, the influx of intermodal containers is expected to rise. If that traffic is not to be lost to road carriers, rail freight operations would have to handle this additional traffic without further railway infrastructure enhancement. The potential surge in container traffic may pose challenges to the efficiency of rail freight operations. There’s not much slack or idle time at Felixstowe and, in port operations, more than anywhere else – time is money.

Rail freight operations may face the need for enhancements to keep pace with the growing demand. There is the welcome prospect of more capacity on the approaches to the port, particularly the junctions around Ely, but these will take years to implement. The deepening of sea channels at Felixstowe, while part of the port’s commitment to accommodating larger vessels, prompts a question about the readiness of rail infrastructure in the UK in general to handle the surge in intermodal containers. As with so much current infrastructure development, the net-zero implications are evident. The coming months are likely to witness an evaluation of rail freight capabilities and potential upgrades to ensure the efficiency of this busy component of the UK’s trade network.

In Italy, LoTraFer took care of the transportation to the Desio rail terminal via Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV). Moreover, the Italian company was responsible for the transshipment of the load on the rail and securing it. It is not clear who provided the transformer. However, Desio is the home of Costruzione Elettrica Desiana, a company that manufactures electric transformers. DB Cargo provided the wagons and traction services, as well as last-mile delivery to Vilvoorde station by barge and to the final destination by HGV.

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