Climate-neutral freight transport is a sustainable technology with a role model function. Large logistics companies like Hermes are working to significantly reduce their carbon footprints. Hermes have launched a cross-border pilot project in cooperation with DB Cargo. The lessons learned from this will be used to help systematically expand rail freight transport throughout Germany.

Since 1 July, items have been shipped via green rail at a rate of over one million per year between Magdeburg and Lodz in Poland. Compared to road transport, this results in a reduction of around 100 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

Hermes Germany aims to transport up to 1.3 million parcels with DB Cargo on the 625-kilometre route.

Climate-neutral transport chains for a smaller environmental footprint

By shipping with DB Cargo's eco solutions, Hermes have chosen environmentally friendly logistics. From Magdeburg to the Polish border, the company books the DBeco plus product. The freight trains run exclusively on renewable power, so they are 100% climate-neutral on that part of the route. This service is not available on the Polish section of the route, where Hermes use DBeco neutral. Here, the resulting CO₂ emissions are compensated by targeted promotion of climate protection projects that comply with the CDM Gold Standard, the strictest of its kind. TÜV certificates are issued for both products.

Pierre Timmermans, Member of the Management Board for Sales at DB Cargo, highlighted the close cooperation with Hermes Germany, saying: "We are pleased that sustainability plays such an important role for Hermes in shaping their logistics and that we can support them with it."