DP World Stuttgart celebrates 25-year anniversary as business will invest €35m to boost capacity for resilient and sustainable rail and barge transport

27 September 2021 – STUTTGART, Germany: Today, DP World – the global logistics firm and smart trade enabler – marked the 25th anniversary of its container terminal in Stuttgart with special visits from the Minister of Transport of Baden-Württemberg, Mr. Winfried Hermann, and the Managing Director of Port Authority Stuttgart, Carsten Strähle to the terminal for the celebration.

The anniversary of the terminal – which has energy efficient rail and barge on-site and is the only trimodal terminal in Stuttgart – comes as European road haulage faces a deepening driver shortage, which has placed increasing strain on the trucking industry. Rail and barge services, on the other hand, are seen as part of the solution to building more resilient supply chains, while also reducing carbon output.

A single train can carry the same amount of cargo as 70 trucks, while a recent study1 showed that barges can move a ton of cargo 1041km with just under five litres of fuel consumed, and trains can move the same amount of cargo 768km. In contrast, with the same amount of fuel, trucks can only move one ton of cargo a total of 233km.

DP World will invest up to €35m at its terminal over the next three to five years to bolster the capacity of its operations within the firm’s wider inland network.

The investment exemplifies DP World’s continued vote of confidence in the strength and resiliency of its inland network, and also in ensuring it offers sustainable end-to-end solutions for its customers in Europe. As the terminal celebrates its first 25 years, by investing in the sustainable and resilient supply chains of tomorrow, it is cementing its market-leading position in the European hinterland.

In its 2021 State of Supply Chain Sustainability Report, the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics2 found that nearly three in five (59%) of companies have increased their investment in making their supply chain more sustainable.

With a significant push toward environmentally-conscious transport options – accelerated through both government policy, business sustainability priorities and consumer demand – DP World’s investment will further boost capacity at the terminal for rail and barge, as two greener modes of moving goods.

The continued demand for more sustainable and resilient modes of transport, such as rail and barge, is expected to act as an accelerator for technological development that will, in turn, make them even more efficient, as through the development of electric or hydrogen barges, for example.

Additionally, this shift will be matched with automation, digitalization, and electrification of the logistics industry, helping the sector to become incrementally more sustainable over time as smarter solutions take hold in the market.

Rob Harrison, CEO, DP World Inland, said: “On the back of our 25th year anniversary, we are extremely proud of our work and history to date at our DP World Stuttgart container terminal. However, we see this milestone as only the beginning. Our investment at the terminal will help to strengthen our trimodal transport solutions, boost supply chain resiliency in the European mainland and consequently ensure the smooth flow of trade coming in and out of the port for many more years to come.”

From Stuttgart, DP World currently runs regular connecting feeder services into the ports Mannheim, Gemersheim, Basel and barge service into the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam respectively. There are also regular rail connections to Bremerhaven and Hamburg.

Rashid Abdulla, CEO, DP World Europe and Russia, commented: “As we continue to grow and look to expand our European operations, we are very grateful for the work of our stakeholders over the first 25 years at DP World Stuttgart.

“The proposed investment at the terminal over the coming years – particularly on our rail and barge capabilities – is evidence of our ongoing commitment to improving connectivity and trading routes across the wider region. As a result, our Inland network will offer an even better value proposition for all of our customers, meeting the need for greener transport while boosting resiliency. I greatly look forward to seeing the continued impact of the terminal and its operations across the region over the next 25 years and beyond.”

Watch the video of the spectacular light show during the celebration.