Rail freight links between Luxembourg and its European neighbours will be strengthened through the new Bettembourg-Dudelange Intermodal Terminal, which has been officially opened by His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri.

The CFL Multimodal-owned facility, which covers 33 hectares – the equivalent of 45 football fields – and has capacity for 3,500 containers, aims to become a vital European logistics hub, connecting Luxembourg to Europe’s main ports and trading centres. Crucially, it can also accommodate 700 metre-long trains, a feature that will become increasingly vital as more freight operators use longer trains to maximise cross-border modal shift opportunities.

‘Efficient logistics platform’

Marc Wrengler, General Director of CFL, outlined the company’s current freight activities and perspectives on the sector, before highlighting the advantages of using alternative modes of transport to the road as a means of cutting CO2 emissions. A further four days of activities saw more than 12,000 people visiting the new terminal, named ‘Containerland’ for the week. Events were organised specially for terminal employees and their families, and later the general public. Nearly 700 pupils from different secondary schools were also given a presentation about the variety of different jobs available at the CFL group.

Etienne Schnieder, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economy, said: “CFL Multimodal’s intermodal terminal provides Luxembourg with yet another high-performing infrastructure that contributes to our international reputation as an efficient logistics platform. The economic development of the Grand Duchy and its attractiveness for industrial investors are supported by a sustainable and high value-added logistics service offering. These services are vital to industrial companies settled in our country and thanks to the intermodal terminal they can rely on more rail transport.”

‘Different approach’

François Bausch, Minister for Sustainable Development, said: “Given the possibilities of the new multimodal platform for Luxembourg, the country is playing a precursor role in Europe. Luxembourg is taking a different approach to the future than other countries. We are not basing our development on gigaliners, but rather on the transfer of freight onto trains, not by going against the road but by collaborating with transport by road and its waterways.”