The Austrian Logistics Network Association (VNL) has awarded the Austrian Logistics Prize 2024 to ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) and Transporeon for their innovative logistics project. This annual prize highlights groundbreaking achievements in the logistics sector, and this year, RCG and Transporeon stood out by successfully integrating multimodal transport into a single platform.

For the first time in Europe, the seamless integration of rail and road transport has been realised on the Transporeon platform. This development, praised by the VNL jury, promises to revolutionise how logistics are managed across the continent. Representatives from both companies accepted the award at the ceremony on 5 June, celebrating this significant milestone.

“We are the sustainable logistical backbone of the economy – for a Europe worth living in,” said RCG CEO Clemens Först. He emphasised that achieving the European Green Deal’s objectives requires a significant shift from road to rail transport. Först expressed his delight that their innovative solution not only impressed customers but also garnered recognition from industry experts.

Meeting Industry Needs

The collaboration between RCG and Transporeon responds to a pressing industry need for integrated supply chain solutions. The ALICE white paper, “Increasing the Use of Rail and Intermodal Transport in Europe,” highlights the industry’s struggle with transparency and real-time information. Until now, no solution has offered real-time tracking for multimodal and rail transport within Europe in a user-friendly, integrated manner.

Christopher Keating, senior vice president of Trimble Transportation Europe, noted the importance of this breakthrough. Despite the advantages of rail transport, it often remains a challenge due to data transparency issues. The new solution developed by RCG and Transporeon aims to overcome these challenges, supporting companies in their efforts to shift modes and reduce emissions.

Integrated and Transparent Logistics

The solution developed by RCG and Transporeon displays tracking information for multimodal and rail transports on the same platform as road transport data. This integration replaces manual status updates with sensor-based real-time data, providing shippers a comprehensive view of their logistics processes. Customers can now book both road and rail transport through Transporeon’s platform, enjoying seamless, transparent, and efficient logistics solutions.

The concept has been successfully tested with pilot customers like Nestlé and Vöslauer. The majority of transport is carried out by rail, with trucks covering the first and last miles. This setup ensures that customers always have access to real-time data, including position, status, estimated time of arrival, and greenhouse gas emissions calculations.