The project, coordinated by Kombiverkehr KG with partners including INFORM, DUSS, Goethe University Frankfurt, KombiConsult, TU Darmstadt, and VTG, received funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation.

From research to real-world application

The goal of KIBA was to use AI and mathematical models to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability in rail freight. The research team developed a prototype that combines network capacity management with optimised train loading.

According to Heiko Krebs, Managing Director of Kombiverkehr, the project “demonstrated how AI can make rail freight transport more efficient,” helping to maximise train capacity and reduce reloading operations. He added that the work supports the broader shift of freight from road to rail and contributes to efforts aimed at climate protection.

Practical testing on the way

The system uses AI-based forecasts to plan train utilisation according to both weight and length, while minimising crane movements and transshipments. This approach, said Dr Rafael Velásquez of INFORM, “opens new opportunities for combined transport,” allowing forecasts of booking volumes to feed directly into optimisation processes.

With the project now complete, partners plan to move toward practical testing and integration. Early use cases are being prepared for terminal operators and rail freight service providers. Future work will focus on improving data quality and automating information exchange before live testing.

Academic–industry collaboration

KIBA is regarded as an example of close collaboration between research institutions and logistics companies. Dr Eva Savelsberg, Senior Vice President at INFORM, said maintaining this link is essential for international competitiveness in AI.

The project partners describe KIBA as a foundation for future innovation in combined transport – one that could make rail freight operations both smarter and more reliable.

‘No additional effort’

Traditionally, all this distance has been fully covered by trucks. With the pilot project, however, EcoDuo vehicles were moved by road between Volkswagen’s facility in Wolfsburg to the MegaHub in Lerthe. From there, the semi-trailers are de-coupled and placed on freight trains taking them to Barcelona and moved back on the road for last-mile deliveries.

“The results of the pilot project also show that the EcoDuo combination can be transported by rail without additional effort. Adjustments are only required at the terminals to enable the coupling and uncoupling of the trailers”, VDA said. The next step is now to put the EcoDuo in regular operations.

To do this, it will be necessary to adjust the current regulation on road traffic exemptions for oversized vehicles and vehicle combinations, the association explained. “The goal is to introduce “Type 6” as a vehicle type for combinations up to 32 meters in length. It is intended to be used on a separately defined positive network, which also includes combined terminals”, VDA added.

For Kombiverkehr, the terminal plays an important role in transport operations. “Over 20 countries can be reached by rail from Duisburg. This makes the continental terminal at the Port of Ruhrort an important gateway hub in our European network”, explained Heiko Krebs, Managing Director of Kombiverkehr.

“We currently account for approximately 95% of the traffic. In the future, we will be able to contribute our production technology expertise much more directly than was previously the case, and of course, non-discriminatory access to the terminal infrastructure will continue to be guaranteed for third parties.”

Kombiverkehr is already working on new technical developments in the terminal in cooperation with its current owner. That should secure the viability of the terminal for future operations, the company explains.

PKV terminal

Built in the early 1990s and operational since 1992, the PKV terminal has been managed by Deutsche Umschlaggesellschaft Schiene-Straße mbH (DUSS) since 2003. Kombiverkehr KG holds a 12.5% stake in DUSS.

The PKV terminal spans approximately 85,000 square meters and features three cranes across eight tracks and one track dedicated to reach stacker operations. This setup, according to Kombiverkehr, ensures the swift transfer of intermodal loading units between trains, or from road to rail. From autumn 2025 onwards, a newly acquired crane system with a specialised spreader will be capable of handling tank containers weighing up to 75 tonnes.

The terminal’s infrastructure at the Port of Duisburg also includes parking areas outside the crane runway, along with two hazardous goods trays for the temporary storage of hazardous materials related to transport. The facility is designed to handle approximately 200,000 units annually.

Domestic shipments shrunk by three per cent to a total of 180,000. Kombiverkehr’s international business declined twice as much, at minus six per cent. The company transported a total of 600,000 shipments internationally.

A positive perspective

The company evidently tries to look at the challenges positively. It says that it “has held up relatively well” considering the circumstances. Kombiverkehr’s managing director Armin Riedl says that the economic downturn “has far exceeded the dimensions of the 2008/2009 crisis”.

Besides the bad economic situation, Germany’s rail network is undergoing a general overhaul. That leads to frequent disruptions and delays, making rail freight a less viable transport option. Trains were cancelled 10 to 15 per cent of the time, Kombiverkehr says. A five per cent decline in volumes against that background is not that bad, is the message.

The logistics company also celebrates newly launched products. It strengthened transport corridors to and from Rotterdam, Spain and Scandinavia. It launched a new service between Rotterdam and Cologne, as well as between Antwerp and Irun (Spain). Another train between Duisburg and Hallsberg (Sweden) started running from 1 January, and later in 2025 a train between Lübeck and Verona was introduced.

Other than the partners mentioned above, the project includes Schmitz Cargobull, which will provide the EcoDuo truck, and Sesé, which will drive it for first and last-mile trips. Finally, TÜV Rheinland, “is supporting the pilot project scientifically and from a perspective of road traffic law”, the VDA spokesperson explained. “The project is planned to run for one year until the end of 2025 and the aim is to include the EcoDuo in the German Long Lorry Regulation as an additional long lorry type after the test phase”, they added.

No additional equipment needed

Using EcoDuo trucks instead of long trucks ensures interoperability with rail, whereas longer trucks would not. Moreover, if rail terminals are equipped for semi-trailer transshipment operations, no costly investments are required other than a dolly, the VDA spokesperson stated. Finally, using EcoDuo should also help with the issue of truck drivers shortages which affects many countries in Europe, as two semi-trailers can be moved by one driver rather than two.

“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.

Nevertheless, Kombiverkehr will also benefit by opening up to a new market with much regional and cross-border potential. According to Susana Jozinovic, sales representative South Eastern Europe for Kombiverkehr, the positioning of the MBOX Terminal seemed to align seamlessly with the Frankfurt-based company’s network expansion plans. It should be noted that more companies, like METRANS, for example, have been tapping into the Serbian and Balkan markets recently.

An increasingly important hub

The MBOX Terminal Niš in Serbia started making the headlines in the summer 2021 when the project was nearing completion. The terminal already serves block trains organised by CMA CGM that link to the Greek port of Thessaloniki also carrying sea-borne volumes since it is connected with eight maritime services.

Apart from the port of Thessaloniki, the Niš terminal also has frequent connections with the port of Rijeka in Croatia, Ljubljana, and the port of Koper in Slovenia. With those connections and the terminal’s location on the map, it is understandable that Niš could become an important destination and transit hub with a crossroads function.

Interconnectivity

Kombiverkehr stresses the interconnectivity of the route to other destinations. “This new train product shows how we are capitalising on our network advantage. Köln-Eifeltor is one of our biggest hub terminals in Germany, with many options for onward transport both nationally and internationally,” says the company’s Benelux Sales Manager.

The Cologne-Eifeltor hub is one of Kombiverkehr’s biggest, and offers options for further transport to other destinations in Germany and internationally. In Germany, freight can continue its journey to Munich, Ulm, Kornwestheim and Basel in Switzerland. Beyond Germany, the rail operator offers connections to Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece. In Rotterdam, the company offers optional transfers to nearby parts of the port.

Also read:

• Kombiverkehr: Business situation in 2023 has become ‘acute’
• Kombiverkehr increases connections to Greece and Turkey via Trieste
• Kombiverkehr extends Swedish links with two new services

A known market

The DUSS terminal in Munich is not the only one connected to Southeastern Mediterranean ports via Trieste. Kombiverkehr also offers a connection via Cologne, which, since 2022, has offered four weekly roundtrips and links to the same destinations in Greece and Turkey.

The intermodal operator also uses Munich as a gateway to Istanbul in Turkey. In partnership with Cobantur Boltas, a Turkish-German logistics company, and DB Cargo, the company runs an intermodal train between the DUSS terminal and the Halkali terminal located in the vicinity of the Turkish city. This service was launched to complement existing links, which include ferry connections.

Hallsberg, Norköpping and Stockholm are now added to Göteborg, Malmö and Trelleborg as Kombiverkehr’s destinations in Sweden. “Both new products are offered in partnership with DB Cargo Scandinavia”, the company said, whereas the ferry service between Lübwck and Malmö is provided by Finnish shipping operator Finnlines. The new service will be open to most good types, including P400 semi-trailers. The only exception, as Kombiverkehr specified are dangerous goods of type 1 and 7, respectively explosives and products emitting ionising radiation. Both services are scheduled to have three weekly departures in each direction.

Also read:

• It’s happening: DB starts construction for Fehmarn Belt Tunnel access
• TX Logistik keeps adding trains on Scan-Med Corridor
• GLS and Kombiverkehr listen to industry: more parcels on German rail