Freight transportation reports, projects and other news from outside North America (5/14/2026)
5/14/2026
South Africa: Transnet allows 11 privately held firms to operate trains on national freight-rail network
In an attempt to increase freight volumes, South Africa has allowed 11 private firms to operate trains on Transnet, the coutnry's freight rail network, Transnet officials announced on May 13.
Transnet inked rail access agreements with the following train operating companies (TOCs): ARC South Africa, The Railway Corp., TLD Marine, Menar Ports & Rail, Sharp Logistics, Barberry, Grindrod, Minrail, IRACEMA, Motheo Logistics and Interlinks. The operators represent a range of sectors, including coal, manganese, containers, fuel and general freight.
Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) officials said they expect the allocations to introduce an additional 24 million tons of freight capacity to the network, with the potential for up to 52 million tons over the next five years.
“The ad hoc slot process is a game-changer. It allows operators to respond to real-time demand while maintaining the highest standards of safety, transparency and efficiency,” said TRIM Chief Executive Moshe Motlohi.
Some TOCs are aiming to begin operations before year's end; others expect to be operational during the course of 2027, Transnet officials said.
India: Maersk launches first dedicated reefer rail service from Hyderabad to Mumbai
Maersk recently "flagged off" a dedicated weekly reefer rail service connecting Hyderabad’s pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster to Nhava Sheva Port, Maersk officials announced on May 11. Designed in partnership the Container Corporation of India, the service is designed to address a "long-standing industry need for a reliable, temperature-controlled and lower greenhouse gas emissions mode of transport," officials for the Copenhagen-based ocean carrier said.
The service operates on a fixed weekly schedule, transporting 40-foot refrigerated containers. It is designed to serve export lanes, including North America’s East Coast ports — Newark, New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia — Latin America, Europe and other reefer trade destinations.
"The pharmaceutical sector demands that cargo be moved with precision, reliability and accountability at every step of the supply chain. This rail service is our answer to that demand," said Thomas Theeuwes, managing director, Maersk South Asia. "This solution would not have been possible without the steadfast support of CONCOR, whose partnership has been instrumental in making this corridor a reality. Together, we are setting a new benchmark for pharmaceutical logistics in India."
Australia: Federal government revises Inland Rail plan, shelves project that would have connected New South Wales and Queensland
On May 6, Australia's federal government announced a $1.75 billion investment designed to improve the productivity, resilience and reliability of Australia’s freight rail network, along with a $55 million "incentive scheme" to get more freight moving by rail and sea, according to a statement posted on the Albanese government's website.
"This builds on the Albanese Government’s existing $1.04 billion commitment to upgrade the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s (ARTC) network, taking the total investment in the Network Investment Program to almost $2.8 billion," said Catherine King, minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government. "This record investment in the ARTC’s existing network will enable more freight to move via rail, with important upgrades to be delivered where they are needed most."
Work includes upgrades to improve the efficiency of the East Coast network, including track renewal projects, passing loop extensions and improved signaling to remove speed restrictions, improve transit times, support larger trains and enhance service reliability.
The plan involves completing construction between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales (NSW) by 2027's end, a project that will enable double-stack freight trains to travel between Melbourne and Perth, via Parkes.
It also means "the new Inland Rail stages in New South Wales north of Parkes and from the Queensland border to Gowrie and Ebenezer will not proceed," government officials said.
Officials at the Port of Brisbane, which is located on the east coast of Queensland, characterized the decision to drop the NSW-Queensland connection as "a really disappointing outcome."
"With or without Inland Rail, we must collectively work towards moving more freight off roads and onto rail, and we urge all governments to help play their part in that," port officials said in a May 6 post on the port's website, adding that they'd continue to "advocate for action on this issue" in partnership with customers stakeholders and regional communities the port serves.
Germany: Vossloh to acquire British digital asset monitoring company
Germany's Vossloh AG announced May 13 that it plans to acquire British company Cordel Group, which provides LiDAR-based imaging technologies to automate inspection of railway lines. Cordel’s solutions are used by railways in the UK, Middle East, North America and Australia.
Combining Cordel’s technologies with Vossloh’s existing laser inspection technology will help enable the development of automated track inspection systems with continuous railway line monitoring capabilities, Vossloh officials said. Last year, Cordel and Vossloh developed a joint pilot project in continental Europe to assess the technical feasibility of the combination.
Vossloh officials expect the transaction to be completed during the third quarter.
Earnings: Severe weather, Middle East conflict contribute to 'unsatisfactory' Q1 results for Hapag-Lloyd
On May 12, Hamburg, Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd AG reported first-quarter 2026 Group EBITDA of $494 million (€422 million). In the same period, the Group EBIT declined to $157 million (€134 million) and the Group profit to $256 million (€219 million).
Compared with Q1 2025, earnings were impacted by lower freight rates and operational disruptions as a result of severe weather conditions and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, Hapag-Lloyd officials said.
In the Liner Shipping segment, revenue decreased to $4.8 billion compared with Q1 2025's €4.1 billion, primarily due to the lower average freight rate of $1,330/TEU (Q1 2025: $1,471/TEU). Transport volume was 3.2 million TEUs and "nearly on par" with the prior-year quarter despite bad weather conditions in Europe and North America, which resulted in ongoing disruptions of terminal operations and supply chains, officials for the ocean carrier said. Also, the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz led to disrupted volume flows. EBITDA decreased to $447 million (compared with Q1 2025's €382 million), while EBIT amounted to a decline of $174 million (€149 million).
In the Terminal & Infrastructure segment, revenue increased to $168 million (€144 million) due to the first-time full consolidation of J M Baxi's container business as well as strong volume growth in Latin America and India. EBITDA rose to $47 million (€40 million), while EBIT amounted to $18 million (€15 million).
“The first quarter of 2026 was unsatisfactory for us, with weather-related supply chain disruptions and pressure on freight rates leading to significantly lower results," said Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Janses. "We will stay firmly focused on our Strategy 2030 and the next milestones for the successful completion of our merger agreement with ZIM while we maintain our rigorous cost management as we navigate the volatile market environment."
Earnings: Plasser & Theurer posts record revenue for fiscal 2025
For its 2025 financial year, track maintenance machinery provider Plasser & Theurer posted record revenue of €731 million "despite an economic and geopolitical environment which continues to be demanding," company officials said on May 13.
"The transformation launched in 2024 is yielding lasting results: The turnaround is progressing, with the company being clearly profitable once again and strategically focused on growth," company officials said in a press release. "With a 56% increase in revenue compared with the previous year (€469 million), the company achieved its highest revenue figure ever. At the same time, order intake reached a record level of approximately €1 billion, and operating profit improved significantly: EBIT rose from €11.6 to €41.4 million."
With an order backlog worth more than €1.6 billion, the medium-term outlook is "stable and positive," Plasser & Theurer officials believe. Nevertheless, the "economic landscape remains very challenging," they added. One reason: Plasser & Theurer exports its products from "a high-cost country, at a rate of 93%" and "cost increases cannot simply be passed on internationally," they said.
Meanwhile, there's competition from suppliers in economies where "prices are significantly lower, some of which are heavily subsidized," Plasser & Theurer officials said. High energy and non-wage labor costs, as well as a "highly restrictive regulatory landscape," also "pose a strain," they added.
InnoTrans 2026: Discounted registration available to North American attendees
The North American office of InnoTrans is offering attendees from North America a 50% discount on the regular admission price.
To be held Sept. 22-25 in Berlin, Germany, InnoTrans is a trade show covering the rail, public transport and mobility sectors.
North American attendees can register for €50; the regular price is €100. The entrance ticket also includes free public transportation throughout Berlin during all show days. To register for InnoTrans 2026, North American attendees should visit https://tickets.innotrans.de/redeem?voucher=INNO26-AV_US-5ZY3YC&subevent=&next=%2F
For hotel options, the InnoTrans team recommends contacting their North American travel partner TTI Travel, which has secured a dedicated room block in Berlin for North American attendees: info@ttitravel.net
For more information, reach out to Franz Balve, InnoTrans North American contact, at fbalve@globaltradeshow.com