Everything you need to know about rail freight from China to Europe, the most sustainable and convenient way to transport LCL or FCL containers.
As part of a series of interviews focused on the topic of last mile logistics, Ziegler met with Mr. Philippe Lebeau, Professor at the VUB and a member of the MOBI Research Center. His expertise covers, among other things, supply chain management, sustainable logistics, electric vehicles and freight transport in Brussels. In particular, he contributed to the “Cargo Bike” project launched by the Brussels-Capital Region, which aimed to create the ecosystem necessary to stimulate the wider adoption of cargo bikes with the underlying goal of reducing reliance on motor vehicles. Having devoted his PhD to the electrification of urban logistics, Philippe Lebeau has focused his research on last mile logistics and worked for four years on the development of a sustainable distribution network in Brussels that is based on a system of using urban centers of consolidation together with electric vans. His research then led him to study the use of cargo bikes for last mile (the BCklet project). He is also active within the VUB, where he leads the courses on sustainable mobility and logistics with Professor Cathy Macharis.
So there are many good reasons to ask for his insights into the effectiveness of Ziegler’s latest last mile innovation project: the XXL cargo bike and the urban micro-hub.
The Cargobike: an excellent urban delivery solution with low environmental impact
In Mr. Lebeau’s opinion, initiatives such as the XXL cargo bike developed by Ziegler represent an excellent solution to meet the challenge posed by climate change and poor air quality. Since cargo bike has the advantage of being electrically powered, it doesn’t emit atmospheric pollutants such as CO2, NOx and PM.
But that’s not the only benefit. When we talk about external societal costs associated with transport, we must also consider the noise pollution it causes. Already improvements in this area are being made, for example with the introduction of 30 km/h zones in Brussels and the speed limit of 100 km/h on the Brussels Ring. “Not only are cargo bikes quieter and reduce noise levels, they are also safer because they are slower.”
A solution to urban congestion
What’s more, cargo bikes can also help alleviate congestion problems in city centres. Indeed, they can use the cycle lanes as long as they are wide enough and in good condition.
Massification versus fragmentation
To combat urban congestion, a rule of thumb is to consolidate shipments and make smart decisions based on the volume of goods transported. The principle is that it is better to dispatch a full truck rather than 10 smaller vans to make the same deliveries. The same logic naturally applies to cargo bikes.
In order to optimize environmental performance, it is necessary to couple groupage/consolidation with cargo bikes. There is no point in further fragmenting volumes. The goal is not to put as many delivery vehicles on the road as possible, but to use cargo bikes wisely, where their use has the most impact.
How urban logistics micro-platforms and cargo bikes complement each other
The combination of micro-hubs and the cargo bike is perfect because it allows goods to be brought closer to consumers. The goods are first pre-routed in bulk to the micro-hub by small groupage vehicles. Last mile delivery can then be provided from the central micro-hub by cargo bikes, which is the ideal solution: not only can it be parked easily, but it is also emission free. In this configuration, last mile delivery can be arranged within a radius of 3 to 5 km from the micro-hub.
By consolidating flows while implementing electric cargo bikes together with urban micro-hubs, it becomes possible to reduce the distance travelled for each delivery, which translates into fewer emissions and a reduction in external societal costs.
“Your cargo bike has the advantage of being very large, which allows you to transport many parcels at the same time, and your micro-hub in Place Albertine is perfectly located for deliveries in the centre of Brussels”.
The latest thinking on micro-hubs
Currently, one idea that is being researched in Brussels is that of a shared repository. It would be a deposit open to carriers with the aim of consolidating the goods as much as possible.
Tests were also carried out in Brussels on mobile hubs. A semi-trailer, for example, could act as a hub. However, for a city like Brussels, this solution isn’t quite the ideal solution. A lean approach would be micro-hubs in the form of vans or smaller trucks that would be parked at the start of the day and act as hubs to supply cargo bikes.
Other solution in addition to cargo bikes and micro-hubs?
Future opportunities will depend on the continuing electrification of delivery vehicles as well as the reduction of diesel-powered vans. By 2030, the use of diesel vans under 3.5 tonnes will be banned in the Brussels LEZ (Low Emission Zone). However, a recent survey showed that of all delivery vehicles in Brussels, 94% still used diesel, compared to only 5% petrol and 1% CNG.
And even today, a majority of companies surveyed still rank diesel as the top fuel for their future van purchases, although electric is gaining popularity and is currently in second place.
Professor Philippe Lebeau concluded with this: “We are very happy to explore all these new and innovative options for last mile delivery and hope that in the future we can work together on even more exciting projects! We are fully prepared to help and support Ziegler in your research! It would be great if we could share best practices in urban logistics with each other. Ziegler is a big name in transport and a major player in the logistics field. It is encouraging to see you participating in cyclo-logistics. Indeed, this should not only be reserved for small niche operators, it is really something that is gaining momentum and which makes sense for large operators. So together we can increase the impact of sustainable and innovative last mile logistics.”
Future-proof and diversify your supply chain. Be prepared for any future disruptions by adding rail freight into your logistics chain.
What we learned from the supply chain crisis during the early 2020s, it is that the unexpected can and will happen. Businesses struggle and also thrive in adversity, but there are some things we can do to ensure we are as ready as we can be for when conditions shift suddenly.
With a special focus on transport between China and Europe, Ziegler Group is supporting our customers with their individual challenges and advising them on opportunities to make the most of supply chain disruptions – both now and future.
Here are some ways Ziegler Group is looking at our own ways of doing business, as well as advising our customers.
With many companies looking for alternatives to improve supply chain issues, many are asking about the possibilities to take advantage of the newly improved overland rail routes from China. So here are 10 of the most common questions we are asked!
In this time of unprecedented supply chain issues, it’s worth looking into other transportation methods you may not have considered before.
Sea freight dominates as the most common transportation method. However, current vessel shortages, port bottlenecks and container availability are stretching out lead times and raising prices to historic highs.
In the world of Rail Freight, new developments with overland routes between China and Europe make rail transport increasingly attractive with short transit times and reasonable pricing.
And Air Freight usage is increasing year by year due to its speed and reliability.
Let’s quickly review these three methods of transporting goods from China to Europe. And please keep in mind that freight specialists from Ziegler Group will help you make informed decisions about what solutions make sense for your business.
In this series of interviews that Ziegler is devoting to partners who support it in its urban logistics projects, Ziegler today gives the floor to Interparking, which is developing its vision of urban mobility that is both greener and more efficient.
Both Ziegler and Interparking are key players in urban mobility – one as a carrier and the other as a parking operator. Each has an essential role to play in relieving congestion in cities, improving urban mobility and promoting a peaceful city. So a partnership between the two was a natural result of that shared goal.
Use of the car and respect for the environment perfectly reconcilable
Interparking has been present for more than 60 years in the urban mobility sector in the heart of major European cities. Its teams facilitate more fluid travel in urban centers and their outskirts.
Interparking frees up public space. At any given moment, a full 30% of vehicles on the street are vehicles trying to park. So a car park with 500 spaces represents a queue of cars 2.5 kilometers long that has been taken off the streets. The construction of new car parks makes it possible to return public space to pedestrians and cyclists.
Using a car is also compatible with respect for the environment. The development of new innovative projects, which are growing in number daily, will make this more a reality than ever before: shared vehicles, connected and autonomous cars, hybrid and electric cars are the bridge to more sustainable mobility and will require an appropriate service offer.
Multimodality ahead
Interparking strongly believes that multimodality is an essential pillar of both greener and more efficient mobility. Most of its car parks are connected to other modes of transport: bus, tram, metro, train, bike rental stations, airports, etc. Its Pcard+ allows its customers to access its car parks, but also public transport networks and multiple ancillary services (such as electric charging). Each customer can thus flexibly combine several modes of transport to optimize their journeys.
Environmental responsibility also remains a major priority for Interparking. In addition to CO2 neutral certification in all nine countries where the group is present, Interparking is strengthening its activities in the fight against climate change, such as the program to plant mangroves in Benin in partnership with the independent design office CO2 Logic.
In terms of innovation, Interparking is the first Belgian company to have equipped its car parks with particle reduction systems in the Beffroi car park in Namur, Belgium. This device neutralizes 50 to 70% of particles, 40% of fine particles and 20% of ultrafine particles in suspension in the car park, resulting in cleaner air.
Ziegler and Interparking Launch a Last-Mile Logistics Microhub
In September 2021, Interparking and Ziegler launched the first micro-hub for Cargo Bikes at Parking Albertine, near Sablon in Brussels. Ziegler had previously initiated an experimental hub from its facility in Chaussée de Vilvorde for distribution throughout the city centre of Brussels. But to be able to make more deliveries and be closer to the city centre, Interparking and Ziegler jointly launched the first micro-hub in the Albertine car park.
This “last mile” delivery solution combines three innovative aspectsto deliver large parcels throughout the centre of Brussels, while ensuring low or even zero CO2 emissions. For starters, an electric van transports goods from the main logistics hub to the Albertine car park microhub in the city centre. From there, Cargo Bikes transport packages to their final destinations. This service is not only greener, it is also more efficient. The Cargo Bike XXL makes up to 50 stops per day, while a conventional distribution truck only makes an average of 25 stops in the same time.
This service therefore solves two issues simultaneously: it makes it possible to 100% decarbonize delivery in the city centre while improving performance at the same time. Partnerships like this will be essential to our goal of providing optimized and sustainable mobility.
Support innovative projects
Maintaining regular dialogue with all stakeholders is essential to stimulate innovation, meet new societal needs and continue to grow in a highly competitive market.
To imagine the mobility of tomorrow, Interparking constantly consults its institutional customers, daily road users, public authorities and local residents. At the same time, Interparking supports and is a member of several innovation-focused programs such as the PropTechlab in Brussels which promotes innovations in the field of construction and real estate, as well as the 19 coding school, among others.
Among the new services: last-mile delivery with Ziegler
Alongside its parking activities, Interparking is developing new services related to other parked car senarios: car-wash, electric charging, car-related services, urban farming, etc.
It makes sense to include last-mile delivery logistics among these. With this first micro-hub as a pattern to follow, Interparking can roll out more micro-hubs to maximize space utilisation in its car parks while helping to relieve city centre congestion. Parking Albertine is just the first of many car parks that will be utilised for this service in the coming future.
Soon, Interparking and Ziegler will launch similar microhubs in the Belgian cities of Bruges and Knokke. And while we’re at it, why not abroad?
The future of urban mobility
The next few years promise to be exciting on the mobility front. Innovations regularly emerge to develop and encourage modes of travel that are ever more respectful of the environment.
Someone who uses a car at one time during the day is often a pedestrian, cyclist or public transport user at other times of the day. Interparking facilitates this with activities and projects geared towards the use of electric vehicles and multimodality.
New technologies already are providing many solutions to climate challenges. Both Ziegler and Interparking are anticipating the arrival of a new generation of autonomous vehicles. These will represent a new challenge that the two partners will be proud to work through together, with the big picture goal always kept in mind – more efficient and responsible mobility in large cities and their surroundings.
Overland rail routes from China to Europe are beating out sea freight in speed, container availability, and value.
“Most companies are accustomed to using sea or air freight,” says Luc Audiens, freight specialist from Ziegler Belgium. “But many people aren’t aware of the advantages that rail routes have more recently started to offer.”
Let’s explore the ways that rail freight is helping European companies diversify their supply chains and receive shipments faster from China.
How autonomous vehicles can solve city problems that have no current solutions.
EN, FR & NL SUBTITLES AVAILABLE. Click on settings ⚙️ to enable subtitles or change the language.
Cities are being stretched to breaking points with congestion, noise, and emissions. And there’s little they can do about it because of the limitations of space and technology. But they are trying nonetheless.
Brussels is crafting plans for a future version of itself that reduces its environmental impact and makes its urban environments more healthy and enjoyable for people. And city logistics is an integral part of that plan.
In addition to many other initiatives to improve the sustainability of transport, Ziegler Group has two innovative last-mile delivery projects in Brussels that could reshape traditional transport while contributing in part to the dream that city planners envision.
“Last-mile deliveries are actually one of the hardest of the entire chain. Every package has its own best way of bringing it to the last person that needs it. So it’s a very difficult challenge but it’s one that’s also very exciting because it has so many different opportunities and so many different solutions that you can implement,” says Tom Verkoelen Continuous Improvement Officer of the Ziegler Group.
Ziegler’s Cargo Bike project is already delivering packages more cleanly and quietly than traditional delivery trucks, and Ziegler has recently ordered electric autonomous delivery vehicles that will be tested with the cooperation of Brussel’s city government and other agencies.
“Logistics is a vital pillar of economics and of our daily lives. But there is a lot of room to innovate and to try and make things better, that’s really what we’re trying to do with autonomous vehicles,” he continues.
Autonomous delivery vehicles (AVs) could very well be one of the technological advancements that will usher in cleaner, quieter and healthier cities that provide a better quality of life to all residents and reduce our environmental impact.
Ziegler believes this pivot will begin in the transport sector, and that the positive ripple effects will be significant in the long term.
AVs represent more than just self-driving cars. They are part of a broader shift away from congestion, pollution, and shrinking urban space. They represent an avenue to open up new possibilities for society, individuals and our environment.
This vision for the potential of AVs is reflected in Ziegler Group’s own dedication to pursuing technology and practices that are more efficient and eco-friendly. This goal matches that of the city of Brussels, where new plans for a vibrant and clean city are being drawn up, and autonomous vehicles play a part in that.
“In Brussels, we really want to bring back the human factor with mobility. Design a city that is really made for people. Mobility can be a solution. Not focusing only on traffic going through but focusing on what people need to live and enjoy. To free up public space as well…” says Stefan Vandenhende, Advisor at Minister Elke Van den Brandt, Minister of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Mobility, Public Works and Road Safety
“Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential in that field, and are part of the palette of solutions that we have for improving urban sustainable logistics. Autonomous vehicles could be one part of the puzzle of that solution,” he continues.
How exactly can AVs have such an impact? Camille Callens, Environmental Advisor & Project Leader at Brussels Enterprises Commerce & Industry explains…
“The three big opportunities and challenges are pollution, congestion and labour markets. There is no noise because they are going to be electric and logically they would be able to drive at night. Because of noise, you can’t drive at certain hours in Brussels which makes it very difficult for all kinds of companies and supermarkets. They find themselves restricted to peak hours which is very counterproductive. So that’s also a big opportunity. Then an opportunity is also maybe regarding the labour markets, with the shortage of vehicle drivers. Autonomous vehicles would actually allow that problem to be solved.”
Electric vehicles that operate without drivers can operate in places and at times that current delivery vehicles are restricted. This will open up new opportunities where there are very limited solutions.
Transport companies aren’t the only ones who will benefit from fewer trucks on the roadways during rush hour.
“Nobody likes to be in a traffic jam for hours… That will disappear with autonomous vehicles. That means we can use the time that we normally would put into those driving tasks,” Prof. Dr. Lieselot Vanhaverbeke from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel notes.
“AVs can automatically route themselves, which will be a better use of the public infrastructure. Roads can be less congested if you put them in shared use systems. Fewer cars means a decrease in demand for physical space. So in that sense, I think autonomous vehicles can certainly improve people’s lives and the world,” she explains.
But just because the potential for positive change is there, this doesn’t mean that challenges with the maturity of the technology disappear. User acceptance and regulatory readiness are issues that must still be worked through.
Yet this is why Ziegler Group is taking the long-term approach into account.
“Logistics could improve [city living]. It’s something we want to pursue and it’s something that we believe in,” Tom notes. “We can really look towards the future and really think outside of the box whilst not having to give up our client-centric approach,” he said.
And it’s up to companies to put these technologies into real-world use, and develop them into usable services so that all can benefit.
“Companies have a very important role to play to take these technologies and implement new products and new services that respond to needs. We need companies to build the solutions and scale them up to really have an impact on our region,” Stefaan Sonck Thiebaut, Managing Director of Innoviris underlines.
“It always takes a couple of front-runners for technology to breakthrough, and hopefully Ziegler can be one of the front-runners. We appreciate that Ziegler is a family company from Brussels with both a global outlook and genuine care for what’s happening locally. I have the feeling that it’s at the core of Ziegler,” Stefan Vandenhende says.
Ziegler offers direct dedicated weekly rail service for groupage and full load shipments from China to Europe and the UK, providing clients with a fast, secure and competitive option for moving freight when by sea is too slow and by air is too expensive.
SERVICE
- FCL and LCL shipments
- Several types of containers (20ft, 40ft, 40ft HC, Reefer)
Our experienced and highly trained rail team will ensure the smooth movement of your cargo from quotation stage through to final delivery. Both groupage (LCL) services and FCL depart from rail terminals that are centrally located in the industrial heartland of China. This strategic location offers fast and competitively priced transport links for our mainland China-wide collection service, which is provided by our partners.
TRANSIT TIME
- 21 days faster than sea freight
- Transit time of 19 days between China and Europe
- Fixed timetables with 6 departures a week
Our direct consol service from the rail hub in China to our depot in the UK is achieved in an average transit time of just 23 days, a significant transit time saving when compared to ocean. We have fixed weekly import departures, enabling you to schedule with confidence.
FREIGHT RATE
- Up to 6 times more affordable than air freight
Rail is a cost effective option when faster shipment speeds are required. Cost savings of up to 70% can be seen in comparison to air freight, with the greatest value available for large, dense cargo.
Stable market conditions have seen rail freight rates remain at the same level for extended periods of over 12 months, assisting clients to forecast with confidence, a boon for those dealing with the unpredictable Far East ocean market.
ENVIRONMENT
- Up to 90% less CO2 than air freight
With our need to be more aware of the environment and the impact that transporting goods long distances can have, rail again proves its worth offering a greener, cleaner option in comparison to air freight, where it is calculated that a 40ft container moving via rail with 20 tons of cargo would account for just 4% of the CO2 emissions it would take to move the same shipment by air.
ROUTE
- Last-mile coverage in China and Europe by Ziegler
Based on our schedule, please see below the route taken by our China Rail import service:
By Rail:
Terminal in China / Kazakhstan / Russia / Belarus / Poland / Duisburg, Germany or Liege , Belgium
By Truck and By Ferry:
Duisburg or Liege to the UK depot and final destination.
RELIABLE RAIL SOLUTIONS
Let us help you introduce affordable and dependable transport for your goods with rail transport. Our customers have confidence and peace of mind and trust us with their business; More than 65% of the customers that have booked a first shipment, proceed to book the next shipment via the Ziegler Rail Solution.
Our rail team will make it easier for you, drawing on their experience in finding solutions to your unique needs.