Author: Vivian Kranz

Digitalization and decarbonization are dominating the headlines. The world of work we know is changing and, in our view, provides enormous opportunities for innovation and new business models. We would like to be part of this future.

Over the past few months, we have therefore been actively exploring how we can use these major influencing factors to our advantage. It is clear to us that people are the central pillar of our company philosophy. Artificial intelligence and decarbonization are our tools for positioning ourselves innovatively and sustainably.  

More specifically, we are making our team fit for the future, including with regard to AI: we are focusing on a work structure that promotes learning, new qualifications for junior staff and soft skills training. Our “people first” approach also includes our customers and partners. The increasingly networked, digital and complex logistics processes require long-term and holistic solutions. We want to build, maintain and develop these together with our partners as a one-stop concept. 

Cross-company data exchange is a matter of course.  In addition to the “data push”, we also rely on portals via which all authorized transport participants can retrieve information in real time. This avoids digital detours. A platform makes it possible to work directly and virtually together on the package. 

We also want to establish AI as an additional channel for communication, in addition to personal contact via telephone, video conference or business visit.  

But digitalization is not the only topic that has our attention. Decarbonization along the supply chain is a core concern for us under the premise of “as much ship and rail as possible, as many trucks as necessary”. This is why we are consistently driving forward the use of alternative drive systems and environmentally friendly solutions on the first and last mile. An e-truck has already been successfully established in container transport. Tests with HVO diesel and the use of e-trucks for conventional loads are now on our agenda. 

In step and within the Group, opportunities for further diversification are also opening up – driven by digitalization and decarbonization. After all, the economy needs innovative and sustainable logistics concepts for all requirements. We have the expertise and assets – from metal logistics to consumer goods and project cargo, we are the right partner for you. Let’s get in touch and move the key topics of the future together. 

Ihr Heiko Brückner 
CEO Haeger & Schmidt Logistics                                                                                                                 

Ihr Stefan Hütten
COO Haeger & Schmidt Logistics

The Roche site of the former mixed landfill “Kesslergrube” in Grenzach-Wyhlen (near Basel) has been “chemical-free” since the end of March 2022.  The remediation project was successfully completed at the end of June 2024. The 10-year long-term project was also a logistical tour de force. Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) formed part of the environmentally friendly transport chain with over 250 barge transports. 

On October 1, 2015, Roche Pharma AG in Grenzach-Wyhlen in southern Baden officially started the remediation work on its part of the former “Kesslergrube” mixed landfill site with a ground-breaking ceremony. In the end, more than 360,000 tons of excavated earth were collected, as Roche summarizes in its final report. The masses were transported almost exclusively by an eco-friendly combination of barge and rail.

Roche had 320 special gas-tight and hazard-proof 20-foot containers specially manufactured for loading the contaminated soil. These were filled, cleaned and transported to the thermal disposal facilities a total of 13,447 times. The majority – 13,082 special containers – were transported by barge and rail. 

Sustainable logistics concept
To this end, a temporary jetty was built on the banks of the Rhine at the remediation site as a central element of the remediation logistics. The “MS Kenyro” barge used by HSL was berthed there, offering enough space at 110 m in length to transport the containers to the two rail loading stations. “At peak times, we loaded around 100 containers a week into the Swiss Rhine port of Auhafen in Muttenz and around 10 to 15 containers into the port of Weil am Rhein. Those were impressive volumes,” reports Toni Nicolay, Branch Manager of Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) Neuenburg. As a specialist waste disposal company, HSL was also responsible for ensuring that all suppliers had the necessary permits.

Well timed
Nicolay also outlines the time schedule: “The ship loaded with the special containers usually left the jetty in the Kesslergrube in the evening, heading for the Rhine ports. During the night, the containers were transferred to rail. At the same time, empty containers were loaded onto the barge, which the MS Kenyro made available again at the renovation site in the early morning.” 

The loaded containers were transported by rail from the Rhine ports to the thermal disposal facilities in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. According to the final report, a total of 277 train journeys were made.  

Protected by housing 
According to Roche, it invested EUR 239 million in the complete refurbishment. This also included the soundproof and airtight enclosure of the renovation area to prevent pollutants from being released into the environment during excavation. The control center used over ten live cameras to monitor the entire excavation and loading process within the enclosure and the loading onto the barge. In addition, thermal imaging cameras provided information about unwanted heat development in the excavated earth material. 

The redevelopment was followed by the renaturation of the banks of the Rhine in the area of the former temporary jetty. At the same time, the redeveloped site was returned to a value-adding commercial and industrial reuse. Now that the redevelopment of the Kesslergrube has been completed, there is nothing standing in the way of a commercial-industrial reuse of the site, according to Roche. 

Further Information at https://www.roche.de/unternehmen/was-uns-antreibt/umwelt-nachhaltigkeit/kesslergrube

The success story of HSW Logistics, a joint venture between Norway’s Wilson Eurocarriers and Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL), began in October 2014. Since then, HSW Logistics has developed into the leading provider of short sea connections in Europe.

The Duisburg-based company combines the experience and expertise of the short sea activities of Wilson and the HSL Group. The team of logistics experts combines the best possible transport chains for the customer from the areas of inland shipping, project logistics and handling/storage with its own short sea liner services to the UK and Norway.

Eleven years ago, the idea of a joint venture quickly took shape following initial preliminary discussions. HSW Managing Director Björn Zirotzki looks back: “Both companies were looking for an opportunity for further development. For HSL, it was mainly about access to the fleet and for Wilson it was about market access and the HSL network in Germany.” The complementary corporate values and expertise were also a perfect match. The Norwegian shipping company Wilson operates around 130 coasters. One of HSL’s unique selling points is its range of sustainable transport services along the Rhine with its own trimodal terminal in Duisburg. 

As a team, the current ten employees, seven of whom have been with the company since it was founded on October 1, 2014, have managed to form a common corporate culture. HSW authorized signatory Daniela Kirsch confirms: “We feel part of the family at both HSL and Wilson and can use the strengths of both companies to our advantage.”

Scheduled and charter services complement each other
One focus of HSW’s business is liner services to and from Norway and the UK. “This business segment accounts for around 70 percent of the volume. The charter segment contributes around 30 percent,” says Zirotzki. A special feature of the scheduled services is the flexible organization within the week, which is not based on a rigid timetable. The HSW Managing Director explains: “The weekly departures are determined in consultation with all those involved and in consideration of the daily business.” Different ship sizes are also offered. Depending on requirements, ships with tonnages of between 1.600 and 2.700 tons can be made available.

Win-win for all parties involved
The joint venture is a win-win situation for everyone involved. “We have significantly strengthened our market position in the liner services sector,” explains Zirotzki. This development is also reflected in the market environment. HSW is now the sole provider of a liner service to Norway and the market leader in liner services to the UK. 

The manager uses the fleet to show how the short-sea specialist was able to generate more business under the new umbrella. In the UK trade, the fleet was expanded from the original three to five time charter ships. The ships currently sailing for HSW are called H&S Fairness, H&S Honesty, H&S Wisdom, H&S Bravery and H&S Patience. Parallel to the expansion of the fleet, the number of ports has increased from one to three. The new ports of call are Boston, Flixborough and Seaham. “This allows us to cover the entire east coast and serve various final recipients in the individual regions of England,” says Zirotzki, explaining the advantages. 

The operational process is supported by a very well-developed IT structure, so that short-term changes can be implemented flexibly and quickly. “Many customer requests have been implemented step by step in recent years in order to offer an exclusive service.”

Strengthening overall multimodality
Since its foundation, HSW has developed from a specialist for short sea transportation to a service provider that bundles all services along the supply chain under one roof. As an example, Zirotzki cites a weekly direct train between Boston and Swindon and the West Midlands to transport steel coils sustainably to the plants. Delivery is just-in-time, for example for the production of the BMW MINI Cooper. The establishment of the HSW hub in Seaham is also based on the supply chain concept. The location 200 kilometers north of Boston enables a further reduction in truck kilometers on the last mile. “Our focus is no longer exclusively on the short sea business, but now encompasses the entire transport chain. Our strategic approach is aimed at strengthening multimodality as a whole,” explains Zirotzki. 

The chemical group Ineos is building the most sustainable ethylene cracker plant in Europe in the port of Antwerp and, at EUR 5 billion, is making the largest investment in the European chemical industry for over 20 years. The terminal operator PSA Breakbulk, a joint venture between the Felbermayr Group, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) and PSA Antwerp, is taking over the exclusive collection and provision warehouse for the gigaproject. 

Just under 100,000 m² of space is available at PSA Breakbulk’s Churchill Dock exclusively for Ineos’ project cargo. “The project has really taken off since the beginning of the year,” reports Dennis Verbeeck, Managing Director of PSA Breakbulk, pointing to the jetties, “we have handled around 30 fully loaded RoRo and heavy lift vessels for Ineos there since the beginning of the year.” The freight arrives from all over the world – led by the Far East – but manufacturers from the Middle East, Turkey, Spain and Italy are also suppliers. 

Exclusive collection and provision logistics
However, the terminal service provider is not only responsible for the impressive handling of high-weight freight with individual weights of up to 1,000 tons. PSA Breakbulk is an official contractual partner of Ineos as a collection and staging warehouse. The terminal thus acts as a link between the various players, such as transport and logistics companies, construction and engineering firms and other service providers, and coordinates all activities on the site. “Project Cargo Ecosystem” is what Verbeeck calls the expertise that his company has built up in order to bundle such projects with handling, hinterland connections, heavy cargo handling and integrated transport concepts. 

Felbermayr with equipment on board
For handling, Verbeeck relies on the “Big Felb”, the impressive heavy-lift crane, which can lift even “the thickest lumps” professionally and safely. In addition, there is various heavy-lift equipment from the Felbermayr Group, such as Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT) – modular vehicles with their own drive. In addition to the up to 60 PSA Breakbulk employees, Felbermayr personnel are also involved, contributing their crane expertise in handling the heavy, high-quality and sensitive individual parts. “The weights vary between 100 and 1,000 tons. Some consignments are up to 100 m long,” explains Verbeeck. 

Just-in-sequence storage
As soon as the incoming inspection has been completed, the project parts are temporarily stored “just in sequence”. “Just like a jigsaw puzzle, we have to make sure that the pieces fit together perfectly. The individual elements are stored in the order in which they can be directly processed,” explains Verbeeck. This is done during pre-assembly at Churchill Dock by the various construction companies and engineers who work hand in hand with PSA Breakbulk. 

By pontoon to the nearby chemical cluster
The partially assembled construction elements are then loaded onto a floating pontoon and delivered to the construction site just six kilometers away via the port, independent of the tides. The Ineos extension is part of the Antwerp petrochemical cluster. This is the second largest in the world after Houston. The “Go Live” for Ineos’ most sustainable ethylene cracker plant is planned for 2028. “For the terminal operator PSA, which has many of its own sites worldwide, Ineos is also a flagship project that could be used as a model for other major construction projects in Belgium or in other ports around the world,” says Verbeeck, referring to the integrative approach of the joint venture. 

A complete bottling plant for beverages had to be shipped from Paderborn to Brazil. The time frame was tight. There were less than three weeks from receipt of the order to execution. Felbermayr and Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) worked as a team to successfully complete the pre-transport to the port of loading in Antwerp. This best-practice example demonstrates the concept of one-stop shopping within the Group. 

Normally, the various elements of a beverage production line are closely interlinked. However, it actually consists of many individual parts. In the case of the project in Paderborn, the bottling line comprised eight large elements, which were packed separately and in sturdy seaworthy crates for the relocation to Brazil. Added to this were a number of additional equipment, stowed in 28 containers. 

The order for the pre-carriage from Paderborn to the seaport of Antwerp came from the Dutch logistics company Kaiser Projects from Rotterdam. The special requirement was that all the individual parts had to arrive at the seaport exactly on time for the ship’s departure, as they were traveling on a bill of lading. However, the freight made its way there via three different transport routes, for each of which Felbermayr and HSL pooled their expertise.

Project and container logistics from a single source
Client Kaiser Projects benefited from the strong connection within the group and received a complete logistics solution in the form of one-stop shopping. For Managing Director Etienne de Keizer, this was a major advantage: “We received the project and container logistics from a single source. Thanks to the excellent service and good communication, the lead time was implemented perfectly.” Reliability was the focus for Kaiser Projects as a young company that opened in May 2024. For the experienced project logistics specialist de Keizer, who was responsible for the entire relocation all the way to Rio de Janeiro, it was crucial that all the transport stages dovetailed seamlessly. 

Waterway for XXL cargo
Felbermayr and HSL dovetailed their services from the project business and container liner services in the operational handling. Matthias Pichl, branch manager of Felbermayr Nuremberg, was responsible for the project part. For two of the eight crates with the machines, he opted for loading by barge: “With individual dimensions of 6.4 m long x 6.4 m wide and 6.4 x 5.8 m, the waterway is the safer choice without restrictions and the threat of construction sites. With our own heavy-lift terminal in Krefeld, we have the ideal conditions for the corresponding handling.” The inland waterway transport to Antwerp was also organized “in-house”. Here, Pichl drew on the expertise of HSL’s Inland Navigation division, which provided the shipping space and shipped the crates safely to Antwerp. The remaining six crates were dispatched by road at the same time.

Seamless handover

Pichl recommended HSL’s Intermodal Division, which is part of the Group, as a partner for the additional container handling. At this point, Arne Matz, Branch Manager Region North, took over with the teams in Hamburg and Duisburg: “We carried the 28 x 40-foot containers from Duisburg to Antwerp by barge in our combined liner service.” HSL was in control of the entire transport chain. The main focus for the shipper was that the containers could be successively loaded over a period of three weeks and temporarily stored at the HSL terminal in Duisburg. Loading by barge was then carried out in a bundle on the desired date with the barge used by HSL. 

Client de Keizer is completely satisfied: “Felbermayr has been known to us as a reliable partner for heavy goods and special transports for many years. HSL impressed us with its fast response times and uncomplicated and precise implementation during our first collaboration.”

About Kaiser Projects

The Dutch logistics specialist Kaiser Projects opened its company in Rotterdam in May 2024. The managing director is the experienced project logistics specialist Etienne de Keizer. He offers tailor-made transport solutions for all special, oversized, heavy lift and project transports. Website Kaiser Projects

Good planning means that a barge picks up new cargo close to, or at best directly in, the port of discharge. For the “MS Henja”, the Projects Division of Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) succeeded in doing this three times in a row. Fabian Bartels from the Projects Division outlines the six-week round trip.

“As a project department, we can rarely offer round trips to a single ship, as our transports are rarely scheduled to coincide and often involve many different trade lanes. But sometimes it just fits,” says Bartels with satisfaction. The “MS Henja” was able to book a total of three non-stop transports, one vacation and one stopover. 

Shipment 1: Bridge parts ex Spelle to Krefeld 
The series started in mid-June this year with the transportation of two bridge parts from Spelle, which were destined for Felbermayr’s heavy lift terminal in Krefeld. The preparations for this included initially positioning the “MS Henja” near Spelle with paying cargo in order to avoid a cost-intensive empty run. “This was achieved in cooperation with our Inland Navigation division, which transported granulated blast furnace slag from Duisburg to Dörenthe near Spelle on the “MS Henja”,” explains Bartels. The barge then took the project cargo on board in Spelle. The challenge here was the low bridge heights of less than 4.25 m in front of the port of departure. The loaded bridge parts with their low weight did not give the “MS Henja” the necessary draught. The special barge itself had the solution on board. It has appropriate ballast cells into which water can be pumped to compensate. 

Shipment 2: Tunnel drilling components ex Ibbenbüren to Kehl 
After unloading the bridge sections in Krefeld, the journey continued back along the Rhine, the Rhine-Herne Canal, the Dortmund-Ems Canal and the Mittelland Canal to Ibbenbüren. There, the next order from the HSL Group (Neuenburg am Rhein) was waiting for the “MS Henja”. There were tunnel drilling components to be transported to Kehl. The construction parts, which were reloaded directly onto trucks at the port of destination in Kehl, were delivered to the construction site just in time. 

A breather and stopover
This trip was followed by a two-week vacation for the skipper. But the “series” did not end there. Because the next HSL loading was within reach, so to speak, in Walheim. In order to make the journey to the loading location efficient, the “MS Henja” transported sand from Otterstadt to Heilbronn on its positioning journey. The voyage paid for the barge’s journey into the Neckar and the sand, of which around 150 tons remained in the hold after unloading, served as ballast for the subsequent order. 

Shipment 3: Container ex Walheim to Brunsbüttel
After the ballast sand had been cleared into the corners of the hold using a mini excavator, the “MS Henja” called at Walheim am Neckar. There, a few days later, the barge took on three tanks, fully ballasted and ready for the journey to the German canal area. Two of them measured 6.30 m in diameter. “These heights made it impossible to take the quickest route to the unloading port of Brunsbüttel via Münster,” reports Bartels and explains the solution: “We adapted the route.” This led via the IJsselmeer, the Ems, the Dortmund-Ems Canal and the coastal canal, where there was a particular degree of difficulty. At 4.80 m, the lowest bridge on the route had to be passed. The route then took in the Weser, Mittelland Canal, Elbe-Seiten Canal and Elbe on the Kiel Canal. 

After a total of 14 days, the barge finally arrived at its destination on August 1. The unloading was a special event for the customer. The camera team that filmed the handling, for which a mobile crane was specially used, bore witness to this. This was also used to lift the slingers, who are responsible for expertly attaching and detaching the cargo, into the hold using a man basket. After around three hours, the ship was unloaded and the big round trip for “MS Henja” was completed. 

It is now even easier for the Haeger & Schmidt Logistics Belgium (HSLB) team to show off its best side. The reason for this is the new office in Antwerp. There, employees can design their working environment sustainably, individually and comfortably. This includes flexibly bookable workstations via app and a digital reception. 

Initially a chocolate factory, the building at Damplein 23 in Antwerp now provides office space with an industrial look. “In addition to the atmosphere, good accessibility was one of the decisive criteria for choosing the location,” reports HSLB Managing Director Muriel Marquet. The new address has good public transport connections, ample bicycle parking and the option of charging e-bikes. Marquet knows from experience: “Mobility is playing an increasingly important role in personnel recruitment.” The office also scores highly in terms of sustainability. Solar panels, a heat pump and water treatment are part of the equipment. 

From this location, the 30-strong team aims to further develop HSLB’s activities and diversify its portfolio. Marquet outlines the main business, which consists of forwarding activities for large companies: “We organize high export volumes via the ARA ports, including documentation and customs clearance. We have a high level of expertise in the steel sector.” In addition, there is an increasing import volume of conventional general cargo and containers. Cargo spreading is also gaining in importance. 

Marquet is increasingly noticing that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are also seeking contact with HSLB: “They need comprehensive advice in the area of import and export, as the specialist knowledge of Incoterms, liner terms and customs is increasingly being lost.” The HSLB team of experienced forwarding agents can compensate for this professionally and provide support in selecting the best transport solution and its processing. The use of artificial intelligence makes everyday work easier for colleagues. For example, it relieves employees of simple auxiliary tasks such as freight document checks for bills of lading. 

Two aspects are central to the organization: integrated logistics solutions and green transport. Wherever possible, the Antwerp-based company relies on inland waterway vessels, trains or combined transport. “This is all the more successful because, embedded in the HSL and Felbermayr Group, we can draw on a broad portfolio and our own assets in all hinterland transport across many types of goods. Our aim is to offer customers one-stop shopping solutions,” explains Marquet.

With a view to the port of Antwerp, the HSLB Managing Director welcomes the newly created “NextGen District” – an area for the establishment of innovative companies in the field of the circular economy. “These companies also focus on sustainable inbound and outbound transportation and are therefore an ideal fit for our sustainable logistics services,” says Marquet about the potential win-win prospects. In addition, the nearby PSA Breakbulk terminal, which is also part of the Felbermayr Group, provides good conditions for integrated solutions. 

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