Dutch trains depart daily from Sunday to Friday from the Cabooter Terminal in Venlo. Romanian services depart from Friday to Wednesday from the Intermodal Terminal Oradea. The services can accommodate both craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers, as well as Frigo trailers (reefer), ADR trailers (regulated dangerous goods) and tank trailers, containers, and swap bodies.

Venlo’s strategic position

Venlo, in the southeastern Netherlands near the German border, has become one of Europe’s busiest inland logistics hubs thanks to its central location between the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp and major industrial regions in Germany. The Cabooter Terminal at Venlo is a key node in Europe’s intermodal rail network, offering efficient access to markets across Western and Central Europe. CargoBeamer’s decision to base its new route there underlines the Dutch city’s role as a strategic crossroads for North Sea–Danube trade.

CargoBeamer operates a unique logistics model that enables both craneable and non-craneable semi-trailers to be transferred between road and rail using its patented wagon and terminal technology. By integrating road-haulage flexibility with the environmental benefits of rail, the company has positioned itself as a key overland transport operator driving the decarbonisation and digitalisation of Europe’s freight corridors.

Strengthening East-West logistics

“With Venlo – Oradea, we are establishing one of the first direct intermodal links between the Netherlands and Romania, which is an important step towards further connecting Western and Eastern Europe,” said Boris Timm, COO of CargoBeamer.

“This new service enables sustainable transport over a long distance of approximately 1,500 kilometres. The connection between Venlo and Oradea marks another milestone in the expansion of our European network, supporting both our entry into Eastern Europe and the continued growth of the CargoBeamer network.” It was just a few months ago that CargoBeamer announced further expansion with a new terminal in Kaldenkirchen.

The route is being operated under a mixed concept, with Romanian logistics provider Routier European Transport using most of the available train slots and providing rail traction, while remaining capacity is offered to the open market. According to CargoBeamer, switching from road to rail on this corridor cuts carbon emissions by around 88% compared to diesel truck transport — a reduction of roughly 1,800 kilograms of CO₂ per semi-trailer.

Expanding a sustainable network

The new Venlo–Oradea link strengthens CargoBeamer’s position as a major player in the decarbonisation of European freight transport. The company’s patented transshipment technology allows even non-craneable semi-trailers to be moved efficiently by rail, bridging a gap that has historically limited intermodal transport’s reach. The sector for moving road trailers by rail is active and highly competitive in Europe. Operators including state-backed VIIA in France and independent operator Helrom in Germany.

CargoBeamer currently operates services across Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania, and continues to expand its network of terminals and scheduled intermodal connections across the continent. The Venlo–Oradea service adds a new corridor between Western and Eastern Europe, offering both environmental and operational advantages to shippers seeking alternatives to long-haul road transport.

This article was originally published by our sister publication WorldCargo News.

On the Sittard-Venlo-Germany route, however, it is necessary to change direction due to the layout of the track. The current situation would be particularly disadvantageous for rail operator Captrain, because the company uses long trains on this route. The restriction means that the company is forced to use the Gekkengraaf yard and drive 20 kilometers from Venlo, which leads to longer travel times and higher costs.

Not the right procedure

These conditions have been included for the first time in the network statement of the year 2022 and were to be included in the statement of 2023, which takes effect in December this year. However, the latter has been reversed after interest group RailGood, on behalf of a number of rail freight operators, filed a complaint about several aspects of the conditions. ACM has ruled that rejecting the turn of longer freight trains was not done according to the correct procedure.

ACM has come to the conclusion that applications for capacity should not simply be refused. The infrastructure must first be declared ‘overloaded’ if ProRail expects to be unable to allocate capacity requests. That was not the case in Venlo. ProRail should then have carried out a capacity analysis and substantiated measures that could increase capacity. According to the ACM, ProRail has disadvantaged carriers such as Captrain by not following this procedure.

From 2023

This has no consequences for the year 2022, because the term for submitting complaints about the content of the network statement for this year has already expired. However, if freight transporters want to change direction in Venlo in 2023, ProRail must allow this if possible. The preconditions may not be applied to requests involving trains that make headway.

ProRail does not have to make a capacity analysis because it is now too late for this. From 2024, however, ProRail must follow the correct procedure for determining capacity problems when determining the new network statement.

This article is an amended translation of the original version on Nieuwsblad Transport. 

Jinhua-Venlo route

The first train left on 20 July, loaded with 100 cargo containers carrying roughly 3 million euros worth of goods. It is expected to reach Venlo on 6 August, for a total journey of 18 days, as Zhou stated. The trains will be operated by HIGO GMBH. From Jinhua, it will go through Alashankou, Kazaksitan, Belarus, Poland, and finally, reach Venlo.

The train will go back to Jinhua carrying Dutch-made goods, including newsprint, electronic devices, and medical equipment. Moreover, according to the China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group Co Ltd, the inauguration trip marked the 400th China-Europe freight departed to Jinhua.

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From 9 to 12

In total, 9 trains now depart in every direction between the Dutch hubs and Rzepin, an important node just across the border with Germany. “The Venlo train has six departures, the Tilburg train has three departures, which we now want to increase to six departures as well.”

And this is a likely scenario, explains Derks, because the demand is piling up. “From all terminals we are able to load non-cranable trailers on the tracks, so we are also tapping into that market. With nine departures per week, we are also more flexible. If you cannot catch a train, you can always catch the next.”

Bundling

For some customers, both Tilburg and Venlo are suitable destinations, Derk continues. The cities are not that far apart, so we can bundle cargo in both locations. That is an added advantage of this cooperation.

Meanwhile, BTT remains responsible for the terminal operations in Rzepin and Tilburg. It was previously doing this under the name GVT Intermodal, but it announced a name change in December 2021. The terminal in Venlo, Greenport, is ran by Cabooter Group.

The connection

Both 45-foot containers and swap bodies as well as trailers will be loaded on the train. In the Netherlands, the units are handled at the new Cabooter Railterminal Greenport, and in Italy, the Melzo terminal east of Milan is served. Both are important hubs in the respective regions.

The route runs through Switzerland, where the P400 profile can now be used without restrictions on the Gotthard route. The transit time of the connection is 24 hours. It is planned to increase the number of rotations by one to six per week as early as February 2022.

Closer to clients

Maciek Chelmowski, director Intermodal Transport of Jan de Rijk Logistics commented: “Jan de Rijk Logistics has been operating a door-to-door intermodal connection for over ten years between the Benelux and Italy. We are pleased to have found a competent partner in TX Logistik, which strengthens the connection to Italy in our network and enables us to further grow.

“Thanks to our own fleet in both Italy and The Netherlands we are able to offer a seamless intermodal solution to our customers. By moving to the Venlo terminal we now also have a central hub for our operations in both the Benelux and Germany. Closer to clients, shorter road distance, more benefit from the train. Also notable is that in 2022 Jan de Rijk Logistics will be offering the possibility to transport ADR goods on the train.“

Major players

The online retailer has made a conscious choice for rail, moving away from the road. Matthijs Zwart from the company states: “The current transport market, driver shortage and congestion on the road network are forcing the business community to roll out alternative concepts. For VidaXL this is one of the steps being taken to achieve a solid transport network within Europe and to prepare for the expected (significant) growth of vidaXL”

The company acknowledges that the transport of trailers by rail is a reliable and clean alternative. Overall, with the Venlo-Poznan train, VidaXL will reduce its road transport covered distances by 24 million kilometres per year. “This train is a sign for the market because we see two big customers turning to rail”, says Derks. “Simultaneously, we have a growing demand for more companies to board the train, a thing that will happen soon”.

‘We start with four trips, and we go to six’

The train uses the Cabooter Terminal in Greenport Venlo as its departure point from the Netherlands. The loading technology used is from VTG. For now, the service will offer four weekly roundtrips, while in November, it will increase to five. “Our goal is to provide six roundtrips per week”, explains Derks, who aims to intensify the service as much as possible.

As for the transported cargo, it consists of all types of goods, according to the customer’s needs. That is why it also includes the transport of non-cranable trailers. “It is an open train for all,” concludes Derks, “more customers are welcome to join, and we already have two or three possible partners that could start with us soon”.

Also read:

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Venlo integrated

Also in September, the terminal in Venlo, the Netherlands, will be added to the Benelux/Italy connection with five departures a week in each direction. This will be from 9 September, with trains received and dispatched at the Cabooter Railterminal in Greenport in Venlo.

“With the addition of the Cabooter Terminal in Greenport Venlo, we are gaining access to one of the strongest business and logistics locations in the Netherlands with an excellent multimodal transport infrastructure that is in very high demand from customers”, explained Peter Dannewitz, head of sales.

With the term smart logistics, the sector defines the optimal use of a traffic system, in this case, multimodal transport traffic, in combination with effective logistics management. The key behind a successful combination lies in the efficient utilisation of data that can lead to a seamless flow of goods. As a result, a great deal of smart logistics relies on digitalisation and interoperability.

The city

On its behalf, the city of Venlo and the broader area has to offer strong incentives that can transform it into a smart logistics centre, not only for the Netherlands but for the whole of Europe. As mentioned, the city possesses the largest inland terminal of the country. Apart from that, it has three more rail terminals and two barge terminals connecting it with important waterways. Its position next to the border with Germany is also crucial. With the city of Monchengladbach being only 35 kilometres away, the networks of Limburg and the Ruhr industrial area are overlapping, creating, thus, a very strong multimodal crossroad that offers numerous possibilities. Moreover, Venlo has direct access to big international airports, making it possible to serve air transportation too.

The city has already started attracting attention. All parts concerned are underlining continuously that the Netherlands cannot be the limit. In contrast, the city’s infrastructure has the potential to provide services in different routes and corridors, including southern and western Europe and Scandinavia. Additionally, logistics also turn their gaze towards the Far East with an ambition to expand their business. As a matter of fact, this week, Venlo will receive four trains from China. This could be a significant development which proves that the future is promising.

Initiatives

The most powerful tool in the hands of the city is the strong cooperation that takes place between authorities, institutions and stakeholders of the rail freight and logistics sector. Their main motto is that good accessibility and traffic flow are essential for a smarter region, as well as for the business climate, the quality of life and intermodal trade.

It is interesting to take a look at two initiatives that aim to prove the city’s smart character. On the one hand, there is the innovative mobility programme smartwayz.nl. Its objective is to improve accessibility and enhance innovation by developing smart solutions and ameliorating infrastructure in transportation. Among the partners of the programme, one can find the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the provinces of Limburg and Noord Brabant, a well as various other stakeholders, institutions and businesses.

On the other hand, smartlogisticscentrevenlo.com subserves a corresponding concept. With a focus on infrastructure, education, innovation and acquisition, Smart LCV brings together businesses, the government, and educational and research institutions. At the moment, approximately two hundred stakeholders are participating in the initiative.

New lifestyle

Understandably, the actors of Venlo’s transformation do not merely target to make the city a transport hub. Instead, they are attempting to cultivate a whole new culture or even a lifestyle, that can be sustainable both in terms of trade and living quality. This is not an easy mission, but it’s already making an impact. Hopefully, in the following years the sector will see more similar developments that can undoubtedly leverage its services.

More than 20 million

More than twenty million euros have been invested in the project by Cabooter Group. In the meanwhile, the surrounding infrastructure has been upgraded. Eleven kilometers of track have been constructed for a total of 50 million euros. This was collected by the national government, the province of Limburg and the municipalities of Venlo and Horst aan de Maas.

Councilor for Economy, Labor Market and Higher Education Erwin Boom underlined the importance of this terminal for the entire region. Governments would like less and less cargo to be transported by road and more and more by inland shipping, or in the case of the new terminal, by rail. Venlo increasingly profiles itself as an important logistics hub.

600,000 TEU per year

The idea of a new, large terminal in the south of the Netherlands came as the government wanted to relieve pressure on the road network around Rotterdam, which could hinder the growth of the port. Cabooter wanted a new terminal because it was reaching its limits at its current locations in Blerick, Venlo and Kaldenkirchen in Germany.

The new facility is not a replacement for one or more of the company’s existing terminals, but is intended as an extension to cope with the expected growth in demand. The terminal will have a maximum capacity of 600,000 TEU per year for containers, trailers and swap bodies.

Connections

In addition to a connection with Rotterdam, the company also looks to the south of Europe, for example Italy, and to the north, especially Scandinavia. But Cabooter also has its eye on eastern Europe, through a connection with the Hungarian capital Budapest, and the Far East.

For example, the company has a terminal in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. This should become an important hub for transport to and from China, in particular, via the New Silk Road. Cabooter then explicitly thinks of cargo from the e-commerce sector.
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Around eight years of planning and consultation preceded the realisation of the Greenport Venlo Rail Terminal. If everything happens according to plan, the first part will become operative in September 2020. At that point, 15 of the 28 hectares will be used. CEO Hans Cabooter hopes to start the construction of the remaining 13 hectares before the end of the year.

When tendering for the assignment, Cabooter was not the only candidate. ECT, which operates two deep-sea terminals on the Maasvlakte, also competed for the exploitation contract. Nevertheless, the Limburgers eventually won the contract.

More than 20 million

The project requires an investment of more than twenty million euros, which the Dutch company pays out of its own pocket. In addition, eleven kilometers of track were constructed around the terminal, for a total of 50 million euros. This money has been raised by the government, the province of Limburg and the municipalities of Venlo and Horst aan de Maas.

The authorities have encouraged the arrival of the terminal to bring about the so-called modal shift. Governments want less and less cargo to be transported by road and more and more via inland shipping, or in the case of the new terminal, by rail. They are also keen to ensure more employment in the Venlo area, a region that has developed into an important logistics hub in recent years.

600,000 TEU per year

Cabooter’s ambition for a new terminal stems from the fact it has ran out of capacity at its current locations in Blerick, Venlo and Kaldenkirchen in Germany. The new site is not a substitute for one or more of the company’s existing terminals, but is intended as an extension to cope with the expected growth in demand. The terminal will have a maximum capacity of 600,000 teu per year. Incidentally, Cabooter is not only aiming at container handling, but certainly also at trailer transport by train.

The new terminal will therefore have eight tracks of nine hundred meters. This length is projected mainly due to the fact that rail transport operators are increasingly looking at the use of longer freight trains of 740 meters. This naturally also requires a longer track.

“This mainly concerns trains to and from Rotterdam,” explains Cabooter. “On that route, the entire infrastructure is prepared for such long trains. But if, for example, you drive to Italy, you will come across bridges and tunnels along the way that cannot handle a 740-meter train and you should rather think of a maximum length of 550 meters. “Nevertheless, Cabooter thought it was worth the extra investment.

Connections

In addition to a connection with Rotterdam, the company also looks to the south of Europe, for example Italy, and to the north, especially Scandinavia. But Cabooter has also dropped its eye on the east of Europe, through a connection with the Hungarian capital Budapest and the Far East.

The company has a terminal in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. This must become an important pivotal point, in particular for transport to and from China via the New Silk Road. Cabooter then explicitly thinks of cargo from the e-commerce sector.

“We see that most of the products from web stores are made in China. What we have in mind is that the goods go from China to Kazakhstan and are then transported across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan. From there it continues in the direction of Venlo.” Does Cabooter also look at the route that runs through Russia? “We often see boycotts there. That is why we started looking for an alternative route for trade with China.”

Duisburg not happy

The terminal in Venlo is not far from the port of Duisburg. There too, plans were made last year to construct the largest inland terminal in the world, whereby the Germans collaborate with, among others, the Chinese state concern Cosco. This is not a rail terminal, but a trimodal variant. This will be 22 hectares.

The fact that, less than fifty kilometers away, Cabooter has plans to build an even larger terminal could not count on much understanding from the Germans. Duisport has objected to the arrival of the competitor, but this has not been accepted.