In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kombiverkehr's limited partners held a virtual partners' meeting for the first time in the company's history, at which they adopted resolutions on the net results for the year. They also elected a new Administrative Board in a postal voting process. Kombiverkehr finished the financial year having transported a total of almost 900,000 truck consignments by rail. It achieved a total transport tonnage of more than 20 million gross metric tons, with the average distance travelled by the transport units also climbing. The customers played an active role in protecting the climate by saving more than one million tons of carbon dioxide. The 129 full-time equivalent staff achieved sales of 411 million euros.

With some 170 shuttle trains every day, Kombiverkehr operates one of the largest and densest intermodal network in Europe for shifting transport from road to eco-friendly rail. In the 2019 financial year Kombiverkehr transported 884,168 truck consignments – equating to 1.77 million TEU – in its network on 247 days of operation, thus falling 5.7 per cent short in terms of volume compared with 2018. 180,405 truck consignments were shipped on routes in the national de.NETdirect+ network (-9.8 per cent). Cross-border unaccompanied transport in the eu.NETdirect+ network, which includes services to and from Germany's Baltic Sea ports, likewise suffered losses, although it recorded a less marked decline in volumes at -4.6 per cent and, with 703,763 consignments, increased its share of the total volume to nearly 80 per cent. Kombiverkehr sees the reasons for this trend being the knock-on effects of the unstable political and economic situation in Europe and the escalating trade disputes between the major economies, factors which the transport industry and hence Kombiverkehr were unable to escape. The automotive industry and its suppliers suffered heavy losses on national and international markets as a result of trade barriers, the diesel emissions scandal and talks on driving restrictions, particularly in the second half of the 2019 financial year. The chemical industry also experienced a sharp drop in production. Given that automotive and chemical shipments account for a high proportion of volumes in unaccompanied Combined Transport, this was not without consequences for Kombiverkehr. In addition, two of the busiest routes – traffic with the
Iberian peninsula and with Italy via the Brenner corridor – were once again adversely affected by external factors. Rail freight services for and in transit through France were at times paralysed by the long-drawnout national strike in that country. Without the weeks-long strike, even higher growth would have been possible in this important intermodal corridor. Heavy snow in the Alps caused avalanches, which led to the Brenner line being closed for days.

A positive note was the upward trend in transport services to and from Sweden (+7.7 per cent). The fixed link route via Denmark and the Öresund bridge benefited particularly strongly from the increase in forwarding volumes. There were also positive trends in services to and from Spain (+7.7 per cent),
Denmark (+11.2 per cent) and Hungary (+10.3 per cent).

Kombiverkehr's partners also appointed a new Administrative Board at the virtual partners' meeting. Kai Bode of Spedition Bode GmbH & Co. KG, Reinfeld, Christian Cornelius of Anhalt Logistics GmbH & Co. KG, Rehm-Flehde-Beargen, Mark Hazizowic of VTG Tanktainer GmbH, Hamburg, and Ulrich Maixner of HOYER GmbH Internationale Fachspedition, Mannheim have been elected to the Administrative Board. Long-standing members Carsten Hemme of Paneuropa Transport GmbH, Bakum, Hermann Lanfer of Lanfer Transporte GmbH & Co. KG, Meppen, and Werner Löblein of Löblein Transport GmbH, Schillingsfürst, complete the seven-strong forwarding side on the Administrative Board. As 50 per cent partner, DB Cargo AG is sending Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, DB Director Freight Transport and CEO of DB Cargo AG, and Pierre Timmermans, Director Sales, to Kombiverkehr's Administrative Board. The Administrative Board thus consists of nine members as required by the Articles of Association. It will commence its work shortly, following the constitutive meeting in July and the election of a chair from the forwarding representatives. DB Cargo AG will continue to fill the vice-chair post.

For enquiries relating to our company, please contact:
Jan Weiser, Head of Corporate Communications and Sales Support
Phone +49 69/7 95 05-1 42 or jweiser@kombiverkehr.de