Sweden aims to pay “green” bonus

News 28 Dec 2023 by WCN Editorial

An initiative of the Swedish Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure to promote modal shift awaits approval from the European Commission. Separately, Kombiverkehr is set to increase its coverage of the Swedish market

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The bonus scheme aims to relieve the Swedish road network and reduce emissions by encouraging combined transport. Subject to approval from the EU, expected early in 2024, SEK199M will be made available in 2024 for firms switching to rail.

Rail freight companies, intermodal operators, port operators and logistics and forwarding companies all qualify for the “ecobonus” scheme, which was drawn up by the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) in March 2022.

The ecobonus is intended as a “one off” grant to cover up to 50% of the cost of new handling equipment and/or intermodal rolling stock, along with associated technology and system support. The scheme will not renew automatically after 2024.

Separately, Europe’s biggest UIRR company, Germany’s Kombiverkehr GmbH, is expanding its services to and from Sweden. As from early January 2024 direct connections will be offered linking Lübeck (Dänischburg Cargo-Terminal Lehmann) with first Hallsberg and then Stockholm, using through rail through Denmark and crossing the Great Belt bridge.

The Stockholm call is the Stockholm Norra (Rosersberg) facility, which is located around 30 kms to the north of the city and is run by Yilport, largely to support its container terminal operations in the Port of Gävle.

The second new service will use Finnlines’ ferry link connecting Lübeck Travemünde Skandinavienkai with Malmö, and then onward by rail, first to Norrköping and then again to Stockholm Norra terminal. Hallsberg, Norrköping and Stockholm are thus added to Kombiverkehr’s existing destinations of Gothenburg, Malmö and Trelleborg.

The through rail or ferry routing is decided by the forwarder and Kombiverkehr offers the transport as a “one stop shop” service.” Both routes are open for containers and trailers, including P400 gauge, although certain classes of dangerous goods are excluded. They will be run on the basis of three weekly departures in each direction. The rail carrier in Sweden is DB Cargo Skandinavia AB.