Germany has voted. The results come with high expectations: economic stimulus, investment in infrastructure, new energy and industrial policies—and a renewed sense of optimism after years of uncertainty.
This spirit of optimism is also reaching our industry—a new momentum is clearly noticeable in logistics!
As the HSL Group, under the umbrella of Felbermayr Holding, we are broadly positioned across Europe—with clear specialization, robust infrastructure, and an experienced team. We are leveraging this momentum to actively shape transformation.
The world is changing: global trade flows are shifting, geopolitical tensions are directly affecting our supply chains. The trend towards increasing import volumes in many sectors clearly demonstrates that flexibility and responsiveness have become key factors for success in logistics today.
Conversations at Breakbulk Europe in Rotterdam have confirmed it once again: there is a strong demand for reliable partners with real solutions.
The upcoming transport logistic fair in Munich provides the next opportunity to engage with our customers and partners—together, we are shaping the logistics of tomorrow!
You can find the experts from the HSL Group in Hall B4, Stand 203.
We wish you an enjoyable read of this latest issue of Insight.
The H&S Bravery Masters a Demanding Rotor Transport to Langon In the world of specialized transportation, projects off the beaten track often highlight the expertise and capability of a logistics company. Recently, HSW Logistics GmbH impressively demonstrated this: transporting an oversized rotor from Le Havre, France, to the challenging port of Langon required not only pinpoint accuracy but also a vessel built specifically for such demanding tasks—our H&S Bravery.
A Giant Sets Sail At the core of this project was a rotor with impressive specifications: a length of 20.20 meters, a width of 2.70 meters, and a height of 2.50 meters, weighing a substantial 270 tonnes. Dimensions of this magnitude demand specialized transport capabilities and meticulous planning of every step involved.
Loading of rotor onto H&S Bravery
The Challenge: Langon – a Logistical Bottleneck
The unloading port in Langon is known to be demanding within the industry because the logistical hurdles here are particularly significant:
Restrictive Unloading Port: Precise planning is essential, as the port allows a maximum draught of just 2.50 meters.
Limited Passage Height: An additional complication is the maximum bridge clearance of only 7.50 meters.
These conditions necessitate a transport solution that perfectly combines flexibility and precision.
This is precisely where our H&S Bravery fully showcased its strengths. This project once again underlines the vessel’s exceptional capabilities, specifically designed for niche markets and challenging transport missions.
What distinguishes the H&S Bravery:
Special Design: Its structure is optimized to transport oversized and heavy components, even under extremely challenging port conditions.
High Load Capacity: Engineered for the secure and efficient loading, transport, and unloading of heavyweight cargo and machinery components.
Maximum Flexibility: The robustness of a sea-going vessel combined with the agility of an inland vessel makes it the ideal choice for complex assignments.
Expertise That Moves The successful transportation of this specialized rotor from Le Havre to Langon showcases HSW Logistics GmbH’s proficiency in the heavy-lift sector. It demonstrates how, by employing specialized vessels and careful planning of all logistical processes, even the most challenging transport tasks can be reliably and efficiently completed for our customers.
HSW Logistics GmbH, a successful joint venture between Haeger & Schmidt Logistics and Wilson, is your trusted partner for demanding logistics projects in the short-sea sector. With our tailor-made solutions and versatile fleet, we ensure your most challenging cargo safely reaches its destination.
In today’s logistics industry, sustainability is far more than just a buzzword – it is the driving force behind innovation and essential for future-proof business operations. At Haeger & Schmidt Logistics, we not only recognize the importance of environmentally friendly practices for reducing CO2e emissions, but we also leverage them to enhance the efficiency, resilience, and competitiveness of our logistics solutions. We take responsibility and systematically integrate innovative, sustainable technologies into our operational processes.
In-House Solar Power: Success at Our Administrative Site A tangible example of our commitment is the installation of a 100 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof of our administration building. In the very first year, we managed to reduce our external electricity consumption by approximately 45%. These savings enabled us to invest in comprehensive air conditioning systems for our office spaces and laid the foundation for further electrifying our vehicle fleet.
Major Project at Duisburg Terminal: Expanding Solar Energy Production Building on this success, we are currently building a 1 megawatt-peak photovoltaic system at our Duisburg terminal. This system is intended to significantly boost our self-sufficiency in energy for high-consumption handling operations such as crane usage and lighting, further increasing our independence from external energy providers.
Alternative Fuels: Successful Use of HVO At our Andernach site, we are already successfully using HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) to power the reachstackers and in initial test runs for truck transports. HVO offers a substantially improved CO2e footprint compared to conventional diesel and can be used without any technical modifications. This allows for rapid and effective emissions reductions within our existing vehicle fleet.
First Inland Vessel Testing HVO: The Alfa Menta A further milestone in our sustainability strategy is the use of HVO on the Alfa Menta, our first vessel in test operation with this alternative fuel. The ship currently operates along the Rhine between Rotterdam and Basel and is easily recognizable thanks to its distinctive banner. The aim of this test is to establish sustainable alternatives for our container transports in the long term and to evaluate the practicality of HVO in daily operations.
Our ship Alfa Menta in action
E-Mobility in Practice: Positive Interim Review We have been operating a fully electric truck at our Andernach site for over a year. Despite initial planning challenges related to range management and charging times, the e-truck has proven to be just as reliable as conventional vehicles. These experiences underscore the potential of e-mobility for heavy freight transport under certain conditions and support our strategy to further electrify our fleet.
Our e-truck in use at our location in Duisburg.
A Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Logistics Chains All of these initiatives are integral components of our comprehensive sustainability strategy. Our goal is to offer our customers fully sustainable end-to-end transport solutions – from in-house energy generation to alternative fuels and electric transport technologies. At Haeger & Schmidt Logistics, we firmly believe that environmental responsibility and economic success go hand in hand. We continuously work to make our services even more eco-friendly and future-ready.
Direct Dialogue as a Key to Success In today’s business world, direct customer interaction is of vital importance. It enables companies to understand their customers’ needs and expectations in detail and to offer tailored solutions.
In the logistics sector, where complex and specific demands are part of everyday business, direct dialogue is indispensable for Haeger & Schmidt Logistics. It enables us to precisely understand our customers’ needs and expectations and to offer tailored solutions. Personal interaction strengthens trust and fosters long-term relationships, contributing to sustained satisfaction and loyalty.
An early highlight this year was our presence at SITL 2025 in Paris. Haeger & Schmidt Logistics was represented by Evelyne Hum and Valerie Wiedemann at a joint stand with Spie Batignolles. The trade fair provided a valuable platform for exchange with partners from the shipping, rail freight, and industrial sectors. The focus was on multimodal transport solutions, the expansion of rail transport, sustainable logistics concepts, and current challenges such as port congestion. Particularly important was the dialogue on new developments in Eastern France and hinterland connections via Rhine and North Sea ports. Our participation once again showed: personal encounters create trust and form the foundation for long-term partnerships in the logistics industry.
Another outstanding example of the effectiveness of personal interaction was our participation in this year’s Breakbulk Rotterdam. The trade fair proved to be a great success for us. We were able to strengthen existing customer relationships, establish numerous new contacts, and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and developments in the industry.
The event once again highlighted the value of on-site interaction in presenting our latest services and innovations to customers and partners while receiving immediate feedback.
Following these successful appearances, we are already looking forward to the next major event: Transport Logistic in Munich. This trade fair is one of the leading international events for logistics, mobility, IT, and supply chain management and offers us the perfect opportunity to expand our presence and showcase our expertise to a broad professional audience.
We warmly invite you to visit us at Transport Logistic in Munich. Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to speak with our experts in person and learn more about our tailored logistics solutions. You can find us in Hall B4, Stand 203.
Together, we can set the course for a successful and sustainable future in logistics. We look forward to seeing you there!
Transporting bridge components often presents unique logistical challenges, especially when unforeseen circumstances force changes to previously approved routes. A recent project underscored this reality once again: two bridge segments, each 27 meters long, were initially scheduled to travel by road from Spelle, a manufacturing site near the Dutch border, to an inland port on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, where they would be loaded onto an inland vessel and shipped to Andernach.
Similar transports had been successfully completed in the past year when direct road transports to various construction sites were impossible due to route restrictions. Flexible solutions emerged involving alternative ports and specialized inland vessels.
However, this time, plans had to be quickly adapted: just three weeks before the scheduled transport, the initially planned route became unusable—several bridges and construction sites along the way could no longer support heavy transports due to structural limitations. The previously granted permits were suddenly revoked, making not only the original inland port inaccessible but also rendering the already booked vessel unsuitable for the newly planned loading point in the Dutch border region due to its dimensions.
The ship MS Navare on its way to the loading point.
A new challenge emerged: the smaller inland port of Coevorden on the Dutch side was identified as a last-minute alternative, but it only allowed vessels up to 65 meters long and 6.60 meters wide. The originally booked 80-meter-long vessel was far too large, necessitating another solution.
In a very short period, our team developed an innovative alternative: instead of deploying two smaller ships, which would have been technically simpler, the inland vessel MS “Navare” was identified as suitable, combining compact dimensions with the ability to handle significant point loads. Using timber mats (baggermats), the two bridge segments were securely stacked and positioned for optimal weight distribution. With a total load of 306 tons distributed across four bearing points, the transport proceeded smoothly.
Loading the dredging mats and the view from the captain’s bridge.
Thanks to this tailor-made solution, the bridge components were reliably, safely, and—most importantly—punctually transferred by mobile crane onto trucks at their final destination in Andernach.
This project once again highlights our commitment: even when faced with challenging constraints, we strive to develop robust solutions—flexible, reliable, and safe — all the way to the final destination. We are dedicated to finding the best possible route to address the logistical challenges faced by our clients.
Can you tell me where my container is currently located?
‘A question we hear often and regularly in our day-to-day business,’ reports Felix Zocher, Head of Intermodal Sales.
In an increasingly digital and globally networked world, information about times, events and process statuses is crucial for the quality of supply chains.
A timestamp is used to document the exact time of a specific process – for example, the arrival of a delivery or the dispatch of a consignment. The timestamp ensures that each action can be clearly assigned and understood in its chronological sequence. This creates a precise picture of what happened when – which is particularly important for evaluating and optimising processes.
But time alone is not enough. Understanding what happened in the first place is just as important. This is where events come into play. An event describes the specific occurrence – for example, that a container has left the terminal or been loaded onto a lorry.
The transfer of route planning will be paperless in future.
Only the combination of timestamp and event results in a complete data record that describes not only the time but also the content of a process.
In future, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics will offer its customers complete traceability for the transport of their containers to and from the seaports – whether along a supply chain or in an internal process.
‘Track’ stands for the ability to track the current location or status of an object in real time, while “trace” documents the history – i.e. shows where it was previously located. This is particularly essential in logistics in order to monitor delivery times, avoid losses or be able to intervene in a targeted manner in the event of deviations.
‘Transparency and an overview along the entire transport chain are essential for our customers,’ says Felix Zocher. ‘We provide the necessary infrastructure with our network and IT backbone.’
All of this information comes together in what characterises Haeger & Schmidt Logistics: visibility – backed by experience, shaped by innovation and created for genuine partnership.
Thanks to the transparent and comprehensive insight into all relevant processes of intermodal hinterland transport, HSL can react quickly to changes together with the customer, recognise risks at an early stage and make optimal decisions.
As a result, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics is now delivering real added value for customers in times of disrupted supply chains and congested harbours and roads.
An important milestone was the rollout of the tablets for local transport at our site in Andernach. In future, communication between dispatchers and drivers will be much more efficient and transport-related data will be reported directly to Haeger & Schmidt Logistics’ TMS.
The use of E-CMR also makes an important contribution to sustainability, as a printed consignment note is no longer necessary.
Did you already know? Since January 2025, Haeger & Schmidt Logistics has been offering 24/7 mobile monitoring of temperature-sensitive cargo on board six of its liner service vessels.
The new technology enables automatic remote monitoring of temperature, humidity, power supply and other parameters for safe refrigerated transport. The ship’s captains are immediately notified of any deviations, whereupon a manual inspection of the affected refrigerator is initiated during the voyage. A control centre on land can support the investigation, as the alarm is also displayed on the monitors there.
On its 25th anniversary, Best Logistics demonstrates its expertise with the complex Rybnik power plant project.
Poland’s energy future is being significantly shaped by the new 882 MW gas and steam power plant in Rybnik, which will replace four older coal-fired units. Crucial to the project’s success is Best Logistics Sp. z o.o., which in 2025 is not only managing this key project but also celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The Rybnik Project: Large-Scale Logistical Precision For the Rybnik project, Best Logistics developed the core logistics concept. A specially prepared transshipment terminal in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, equipped with a Felbermayr LR1600 crawler crane, served as the project’s central hub. From September 2024 to May 2025, Best Logistics managed transshipments at the port of Szczecin, inland vessel transports from Szczecin and Hamburg, and ensured the timely delivery of key components. These included a 387-ton turbine and two generators (weighing 380 and 317 tons respectively). Their safe unloading and precise positioning onto the foundations at the Rybnik power plant testify to the company’s outstanding engineering performance and highlight the seamless cooperation within the Felbermayr Group and its specialized transport and lifting divisions. Detailed planning for this major project started in early 2024, with the power plant scheduled for completion in December 2026.
Loading a turbine with an LR1600 crane in Kędzierzyn-Koźle
25 Years of Best Logistics: Growth and Partnership This operational strength is rooted in 25 years of growth. Best Logistics was founded on April 12, 2000, in Szczecin, initiated by Andreas Häfner, with Haeger & Schmidt as a founding shareholder. In 2007, Felbermayr joined as another strong partner, solidifying an alliance that remains the foundation of the company today.
f.l.t.r.: Agnieszka Szulecka, Alicja Waszczyk, Monika Foryś, Andreas Häfner, Wojciech Gos, Michał Zdunek, Piotr Bossy
The team has grown from a single employee at inception to a stable size of eight experts. At the same time, the range of services expanded significantly: from initial export transports of generators and turbines to complex import projects including foundation placements and installations, particularly for Polish power plants and chemical facilities.
Andreas Häfner successfully led the company as CEO from its founding for 24 years. In March 2024, he handed over management to Peter Stöttinger (Chairman of the Board) and Monika Foryś (Board Member and Managing Director, with the company since 2006).
The construction of the new Rhine culvert is truly a “project of the century,” ensuring secure and sustainable wastewater management for Cologne’s growing population. In May of this year, extensive tunneling operations began with pipe jacking beneath the Rhine river, connecting the districts of Cologne-Stammheim and Cologne-Niehl. These new, significantly larger culvert pipes will allow a substantially increased flow capacity, meeting the rising demands of a modern metropolitan area. In the future, up to 6,000 liters of wastewater per second will be safely conveyed to the central sewage treatment plant in Cologne-Stammheim. The excavation of construction pits and pipe jacking operations are expected to conclude by autumn 2026, with the entire culvert system scheduled for completion by StEB Cologne in 2028.
Four escort vehicles are required for each truck when transporting heavy concrete pipes.
The logistical challenge of transporting a total of 234 jacking pipes, each with impressive dimensions (DN3200 – outer diameter of 4.00 meters, length of 4.16 meters, and individual weights of approximately 47 tons), is being managed by our logistics team in cooperation with our division iCargoSolutions and our partner Felbermayr Deutschland, on behalf of our customer Berding Beton GmbH from Dormagen. The pipes are delivered overnight directly into the pipe storage area at the construction site in Cologne, and installation occurs simultaneously during the ongoing delivery phase.
Infobox: Pipe Jacking – Modern Tunnel Construction Explained Unlike the previous Rhine culvert, built 95 years ago above ground and subsequently submerged onto the riverbed, the current project employs advanced pipe-jacking technology. The process begins at a starting shaft near the major sewage treatment plant in Cologne-Stammheim. From here, a tunneling machine equipped with a four-meter diameter drill head excavates a tunnel approximately 15 to 25 meters below the riverbed toward the receiving shaft located in Cologne-Niehl. During excavation, culvert pipes are incrementally pushed into place directly behind the tunneling machine. Once the receiving shaft is reached, the tunneling machine is retrieved. Altogether, two parallel pipelines spaced five meters apart are being constructed. The receiving shaft is situated in Cologne-Niehl at the site of the existing culvert head. This location currently collects all wastewater flows from the left bank of the Rhine, which, in the future, will be channeled through the new Rhine culvert to the Stammheim wastewater treatment facility.
