The first Zeebrugge-Mannheim direct railway freight service departs from COSCO SHIPPING Ports’ Zeebrugge Terminal in Belgium on Aug 25, 2025. The inaugural shipment of 78 TEUs was successfully dispatched and is expected to arrive in Mannheim, the major industrial hub in the south Germany, within 13 hours. This new green logistics corridor connecting the key gateway of Northwest Europe with the industrial hinterland of southern Germany has thus been officially inaugurated.

The Zeebrugge-Mannheim direct railway freight service is an important endeavor of the end-to-end supply chain solutions offered by COSCO SHIPPING, leveraging its integrated operational advantages in the “shipping + ports + logistics” service system.

One day before the inaugural shipment, the goods had just arrived at the Port of Zeebrugge via COSCO SHIPPING’s premium container shipping service. Subsequently, COSCO SHIPPING’s various specialized divisions in Europe seamlessly integrated the operational procedures for the terminal, railway, and distribution, achieving a “door-to-door” delivery service directly to the end customer.

The direct railway freight service operates two to three-round trip per week, with an average transit time of approximately 13 hours. Upon arrival at the Mannheim Rail Terminal, the containers are transferred to road distribution, providing comprehensive coverage to major industrial zones such as the Mannheim Port Industrial Area and the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. This connectivity extends to key industrial cities across Germany, including Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, and Mainz.

COSCO SHIPPING Lines currently offers two direct weekly services calling at the Port of Zeebrugge: the AEU1 and AEU7 loops. These services provide comprehensive coverage of major ports in China, as well as key hubs such as Singapore and Cai Mep. Compared to traditional road transportation, this sea-rail intermodal solution aligns with the international shipping logistics industry’s commitment to green and low-carbon development and offers a viable new pathway for significant emission reduction.