EUROPE: Boluda Shipping has entered the rail freight haulage market with the acquisition of DB Cargo subsidiary Transfesa’s intermodal transport activities in Spain and Portugal. It said this will make it the second-largest rail freight operator in Spain, after incumbent RENFE Mercancías.
The deal announced on September 16 includes terminal management and shunting activities. Transfesa’s locomotive and wagon fleet will be distributed between DB Cargo and Boluda Shipping.
The transaction is expcted to be completed by the end of FY2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
Ignacio Boluda, Executive Chairman of Boluda Shipping, said ‘rail freight is establishing itself as a sustainable and efficient transport mode, becoming a strategic pillar of our intermodal logistics. At Boluda Shipping, we continue to strengthen our customer services with more sustainable door-to-door logistics solutions, promoting green corridors and supporting the development of decarbonised supply chains.’
DB retains automotive business
The deal does not include Transfesa’s automotive transport business, and DB Cargo is consolidating its position in this market by taking over the automotive wagons which are designed for wheelset changes at the break-of-gauge between Iberia and France.
