DP World has launched a premium sustainable barge service between the Upper Rhine region and the Rotterdam World Gateway.
The service will begin transporting containers between the two regions from 1 February 2022.
The core benefit of the Upper Rhine corridor is that by bundling containers in the hinterland, it becomes possible to call at only one terminal in Rotterdam in a fixed schedule to and from the Rotterdam World Gateway.
The announcement comes as businesses in the shipping industry continue to turn to sustainable business practices and solutions. While also improving schedule reliability, the service is set to reduce emissions per TEU due to the higher load factor of the barges, and the reduced port stay.
“I’m confident that our customers will quickly see the benefits of this exciting new service which will take our already strong barge network to the next level. This new service will give our customers even greater flexibility to transport goods in a sustainable, efficient, and reliable way,” said Rob Harrison, Vice President for Inland Logistics at DP World Europe & Russia.
This follows the news that DP World has also completed its £40 million ($54.67 million) investment at the Port of Southampton, bringing 11 sustainable straddle carriers into service with immediate effect.
The vehicles, which lift containers moved by the quay cranes and then service onward forms of transport via road and rail, aim to support Southampton’s decarbonisation goals as they consume up to 20% less fuel than the diesel-electric powered machines they are set to replace.