The Freight Transport Infrastructure in Germany

Germany has a transport infrastructure that is the envy of the world and this has helped enable the development of a highly effective freight services industry. The phrase 'Germanic' is often used as a byword for efficiency and with good reason, if the freight services industry in Germany is seen as a measure.

The efficiency of the transport network throughout the country is all the more remarkable when you consider that it is less than twenty years since the Berlin Wall came down and East Germany started its process of integration within Germany.

Since the reunification of Germany in 1990, there has been a program of extensive development throughout Eastern Germany to bring the freight transport infrastructure up to the same standard as the more developed west Germany.

This program has been highly successful and the freight transport infrastructure in Germany is now amongst the best in the world, with every mode of transport fully maximized. The speed of development following reunification has presented a challenge for freight forwarders as they have kept up to date with the evolving transport infrastructure, that has increased the options to be considered by the shipping company or freight company.

There is a very efficient network of waterways, railways and motorways that make internal connections fast and straightforward and also connect Germany with other countries throughout the world. This has been a spur to economic activity, as access to markets is fully facilitated.

The road network is particularly impressive in Germany, with the Autobahn world famous for its outstanding efficiency and speed. There are over 650,000 kilometers of paved roads in Germany, which includes over 11,000 miles of expressways. There are no speed limits on some roads, meaning that freight forwarding by road can be a particularly effective option. The roads also tend to be free of traffic jams, as the German public are very keen on public transport and also make above average use of travel by bicycle, thus helping reduce overall traffic congestion. This has a positive impact on the freight services industry, meaning that journey times and costs can be accurately predicted and that risk is minimized.

As well as the excellent roads, there is also an impressive rail system in Germany. There are over 40,000 kilometers of railroads, which are run by the national railroad carrier, Deutsche Bahn AG. Deutsche Bahn AG was privatized in 1994 although it still received subsidies from the government, reflecting the government's prioritization of the country's transport infrastructure.

Lufthansa, the flagship air carrier in Germany is one of the leading airlines in the world. Since the liberalization of air transport in the European Union in 1997, Lufthansa has fought hard to retain its dominant position in Germany's internal routes, in the face of burgeoning competition from low cost carriers and others.

There are no less than 320 airports in Germany, including 14 with runways over 3 km. There are over half a million departures from airports in Germany every year. The busiest airport in terms of passenger services and freight forwarding is the Rhein-Main airport at Frankfurt am Main. Cologne-Bonn is the second biggest in terms of freight transport. The other most important airports for international freight are Berlin-Tegel, Dusseldorf and Hamburg. The federal government and cities such as Berlin and Cologne are preparing to sell their shares in major airports.

With such an extensive airport network, freight forwarding by air is extremely efficient in Germany and the freight services provider will fully consider all the available options when designing the best freight forwarding solution for a client.

Marine transport is also very developed, with major ports in the Baltic Sea including Kiel, Rostock and Luebeck, and also on the North Sea, including Hamburg, Bremen, Emden and Bremerhaven.

There are also many major river ports. The most notable are at Bonn, Cologne, Duisberg, Mannheim and Karlsruhe on the Rhein; Magdeburg and Dresden on the Elbe and Kiel on the Kiel Canal. The Kiel canal is an important strategic transport link, connecting the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

The most important port for Germany is actually not in Germany at all - it is Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Hamburg is the largest port within Germany, accounting for about a third of all the international freight.

The amount of freight shipped through German ports is very high, at over 200 million tonnes a year.

The integrated and comprehensive transport infrastructure is a model of efficiency, meaning that shipping companies can provide streamlined and cost-effective freight services for their clients.

Stephen Willis is Managing Director of RW Freight Services a UK based freight transport company, established in 1971 and operating worldwide freight forwarding services including specialist freight services to and from Germany.