Hector Rail takes the extra mile for sustainability

Published on 04-03-2021 at 06:45

Rail freight provider Hector Rail GmbH aims to run its electric locomotives in the greenest way possible. In 2021 the company will start using water as the primary source of its locomotive’s operations. Specifically, Hector Rail’s electric locomotives will run on electricity exclusively produced by hydro energy.

Customer and environmentally wise, this is the right step for a company that comprehends modern needs and trends, contended Stig Kyrsten-Hansen, Hector Rail’s Managing Director. Rail freight is already the most sustainable mode of transport. Similar initiatives will take it a step further in the market’s competition and Europe’s race to meet environmental goals and standards.

Future gaze

Kyrsten-Hansen strongly believes that his company’s move also reflects how customers will perceive transportation in the future. It’s not only about being sustainable according to policies anymore. Meeting customers’ needs who will most probably choose their carriers based on economic factors and their environmental footprint is equally important. Consequently, Hector Rail’s decision relies upon an overall shift in mentality that will probably occur in the following years. The competition then will also take into consideration the most sustainable products in the market.

“At Hector Rail, we expect that customers will eventually demand high standards of the transport business with regard to taking care of the environment. Many customers already monitor their environmental impact closely when they choose the railway as their preferred mode of transportation – and this initiative will aid their decision making”, he explained.

Working on the company’s culture

The decision to use hydro energy is also accompanied by a general attempt to cultivate a green culture in Hector Rail’s personnel. “We are establishing a programme to support our locomotive drivers in being more energy efficient in the way they drive the trains”, said Kyster-Hansen.

Furthermore, the freight provider will most probably continue initiating similar actions in the future. Its owner company, the independent infrastructure investment manager Ancala Partners, has and will keep funding environment-related objectives to “take rail freight to a whole new level”.

Read also: