Beyond the familiar road: Van der Vlist puts oversized freight not on trucks, but on trains
Oversized freight usually makes its way to inland destinations by road, largely due to the need for specialised equipment. Nevertheless, Dutch logistics company Van der Vlist has recently launched a rail service for the oversized market. What does rail have to offer, and where will this go in the future?
Van der Vlist points to two underlying reasons prompting the shift from road to rail. "Rail is more efficient than road transportation and leads to fewer emissions, up to 85%. Additionally, by using rail, we can maximise our productivity with the same number of drivers", the company explains. Despite rail not being the most obvious choice for oversized equipment, Van der Vlist sees significant potential. "Much more can be transported by rail than what is being done currently.
Loads up to three metres in width, or even a bit more than that, can be moved on many routes." In other words, infrastructure is often not an issue.
Just as fast as trucks
What's more, rail does not necessarily need to take longer than road transportation. Intermodal connections keep the transit time the same, meaning that customers do not experience any negative impact from the shift to trains. "Our goal is to continue testing the boundaries of rail transportation in the coming years, and to move more large loads by rail via intermodal lines, as well as single wagonload and project trains", explains Van der Vlist. "Especially in the single wagonload and project trains segment, our new multimodal terminal in the Port of Moerdijk will play a prominent role."
Route compatability
Nevertheless, challenges remain.
Not every route is suitable for oversized freight, with large differences between countries. "Fortunately, it is often possible to find compatible routes", the company remarks. In the search for routes, Van der Vlist is helped by rail operator CargoBeamer and other rail operators with which the company will start cooperating soon. These operators check their routes to see if they can accommodate oversized freight. "Together with the rail operator and the railway undertaking, we apply for the necessary authorisations.
Some railway operators see the transport of larger loads as an opportunity to improve their occupancy rates. In addition, it is important for some operators to show that they transport more than just containers."
A bright future
Van der Vlist believes that long-distance rail transports of oversized freight will increase. However, the company points out, "it is not easy, it takes time, and requires close cooperation between logistics service providers, rail operators, railway undertakings, terminals and infrastructure managers."
There is a substantial role to play for the latter in an oversized cargo modal shift. "Sometimes a route is not usable because a single obstacle is too close to the rails. Often, that is easily resolved." Expanded cooperation between the involved parties can make routes traversable for oversized cargo.
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