Dürrenäsch AG/Midland – Chemical logistics company Bertschi has established a solution for more sustainable transport between the Netherlands and Italy with Dow, a North American chemical company. The pilot project relies on intermodal rail transport and biofuel for trucks.
Bertschi, a global logistics service provider for the chemical industry, and Dow, a chemical company based in Midland, Michigan, are launching a transportation solution that will significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain. With their pilot project, they are combining intermodal rail transport with trucks powered by biofuel on the route between Dow’s plant in Terneuzen, the Netherlands, and an Italian customer, according to a media release.
The pilot project uses a dedicated fleet of Bertschi trucks powered by hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) for pickup and delivery. “We are excited about the potential of HVO as a sustainable substitute in our first and last mile shipments,” Santiago Gonzalez, managing director at Bertschi Liquids, is quoted as saying. On the main route in between, the two partners are relying on intermodal rail transport. According to Bertschi, this initiative “demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of a sustainable door-to-door supply chain.”
The aim of this pilot project is to prove this. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the emission reduction and environmental benefits of HVO compared to conventional diesel fuel will be conducted, he said. Rail transport is already common practice at the market leader in intermodal chemical logistics in Europe: Bertschi says it handles 90 percent of all European overland transports by rail, reducing CO2 emissions by 230,000 tons per year.
The company was recently nominated as one of five SMEs for the Prix SVC Nordschweiz 2023 of the Swiss Venture Club (SVC). The winner will be chosen on November 14 at the Congress Center Basel. ce/mm
