Tag: Leipzig

DHL Expands Medical and Pharmaceutical Logistics Capacity in Germany

January 24, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

DHL Global Forwarding opens expanded Leipzig Life Sciences & Healthcare Hub

Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig GxP facilities successfully achieve CEIV IATArecertification

Specially trained staff and state-of-the-art equipment for storage and handling oftemperature-controlled pharmaceutical products and drugs

DHL Global Forwarding, Deutsche Post DHL Group’s air and ocean freight specialist, has expanded its Life Sciences & Healthcare (LSH) facility in Leipzig by approximately 2,500 square meters. The center is very close to Leipzig Airport and houses state- of-the-art equipment for storing and handling temperature-controlled pharmaceutical and medical products, such as vaccinations. After Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig is the second DHL Global Forwarding facility to be expanded in terms of capacity and equipment. DHL has successfully achieved IATA CEIV Pharma recertification for its GxP (good practice) facilities in Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg and Leipzig, making the company ideally prepared in Germany to meet the logistical requirements related to importing and exporting Covid-19 vaccinations.

The previous trans shipment and warehouse space of approximately 2,200 square meters in Leipzig was more than doubled when the expansion was completed in the last quarter of 2020. The second warehouse covers more than 2,500 square meters and is divided into two temperature zones. In the larger zone comprising approximately 1,700 square meters, the temperature can be regulated between 15 and 25°C. The smaller zone of around 850 square meters can be cooled down to 2-8°C. This allows pharmaceutical products to be stored at an appropriately cool temperature, to ensure their integrity. Dry ice handling for passively cooled transport containers and handling of actively cooled transport containers are also part of the standard repertoire. The immediate proximity to Leipzig Airport ensures fast import and export times. Of course, the facility also operates under the highest safety and security standards, with systems in place to immediately report temperature deviations and fire risks, as well as break-ins.

DHL and IATA are jointly committed to ensuring that the pharmaceutical industries regulatory requirements are met. A standardized approach in air freight increases productivity, accuracy, and reliability, while enabling transport in compliance with all applicable regulations. DHL began IATA CEIV Pharma certification of its facilities worldwide in 2016, raising the bar in pharmaceutical logistics. After independent third-party audits and training courses for employees on site, the DHL GxP facilities in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig have successfully renewed the quality label. DHL Global Forwarding thus enhances transportation and storage quality levels of pharmaceutical goods, and the DHL station exceeds its usual quality standards. At each location, IATA verifies compliance with its Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), the European Union’s GDP (Good Distribution Practices) guidelines, and further requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regulatory bodies.

As the leader in the life sciences and healthcare sector, DHL provides its employees, at all levels, and in all functional areas around the world, with vital tools to meet the requirements of both its customers and the supervisory authorities. For example, it provided a special training program to implement IATA regulation standards at scale in key GxP (good practice) facilities worldwide. The Certified Life Sciences Specialist (CLSS) program, offered as part of the Certified initiative, provides a comprehensive curriculum of mandatory training and specialized courses and materials to convey the knowledge needed in this highly specialized industry. As with all of DHL’s temperature-controlled locations, all employees in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig who are involved in handling life sciences and healthcare products have successfully completed the training and are certified Life Science Specialists. This ensures that sensitive shipments are handled with the utmost care and in compliance with the highest industry standards.

SBB and ÖBB Plan Further Expansion of Night Train Services

September 20, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

SBB and ÖBB are stepping up their long-standing cooperation in international passenger services. The two railway companies are seeking to scale up the existing night train services from six to ten lines. Planning is underway for new night trains from Switzerland to Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Last week, SBB and ÖBB signed a corresponding Letter of Intent. The planned expansion of services can only be guaranteed with financial support from the Swiss climate fund.

Demand for international night train services significantly increased in 2019 and at the start of 2020 until the coronavirus crisis struck. The number of passengers using night train services from Switzerland grew by over 25 per cent with respect to the previous year. The two partner railways consider this a sustainable trend given the significant rise in customer demand for environmentally friendly and resource-efficient travel. There is clear evidence to show that night trains have a positive effect on overall emissions, as they generate modal shift from other modes of transport to rail. ÖBB and SBB share the goal of shifting more travel to rail and thus contributing to a reduction in CO₂ emissions from the travel sector. This commitment reflects the aims of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the political and public will to develop an attractive night train network as an important component of environmentally friendly and sustainable mobility in Europe.

With its 19 Nightjet lines and eight further services provided in cooperation with partner railways, ÖBB already runs Europe’s largest night train network. This includes the network from Switzerland run in cooperation with SBB, comprising six lines and one additional service. SBB and ÖBB want to build on this success and expand night train services in Europe together. Over the last few months, the companies have thoroughly tested and evaluated various options for expanding the service. By cooperating, the railway companies will be able to make use of synergies in production and marketing of the service offer and save on costs. In the Letter of Intent signed last week, the two railway companies presented their strategy for expanding services as outlined in “2024 Nightjet Network for Switzerland”. The plans involve expanding the Nightjet network from Switzerland to incorporate a total of ten lines and 25 destinations.

Cornerstones of the expansion plan:

– From 2022 timetable onwards: new Nightjet connection to Amsterdam.
As a first step in the expansion process, the two railway companies want to launch a new daily Nightjet service running Zurich–Basel–Frankfurt–Cologne–Amsterdam in December 2021. However, the very limited availability of rolling stock suitable for night train services restricts short-term service expansion. SBB therefore intends to lease suitable rolling stock from German leasing company RDC Asset GmbH.

– Increasing capacity on services to Berlin, Hamburg and Prague and new connection to Leipzig and Dresden.
The services currently provided from Zurich via Basel to Berlin and Hamburg are increasingly popular. Capacity on this route will therefore be expanded significantly. SBB and ÖBB wish to serve both destinations with two separate trains covering the whole route, if possible from the 2023 timetable change. This will enable a significant capacity increase. They also plan to run the service to Prague via Germany as a portion of the Berlin Nightjet with sleeping cars and couchettes. The new route would also provide a direct connection to Leipzig and Dresden.

– Plans for new connections to Rome and Barcelona.
There are plans for a new line connecting Zurich via Bern, Brig, Domodossola to Rome. A daily connection from Zurich via Bern, Lausanne, Geneva to Barcelona is also planned. This would also integrate French-speaking Switzerland directly into the night train network. It is not yet clear whether it will be possible to run these two lines, as agreements with other partner railways are yet to be reached.

To ensure that night train services can be expanded in the medium to long term, ÖBB is also investing in new rolling stock. The new night train sets are to come into service gradually over a period of time.

SBB and ÖBB are campaigning for greater political support for night trains.

Alongside the planned service expansion, SBB, ÖBB and other partner railways are campaigning for transport policies which facilitate night train operations in Europe. In Switzerland, the total revision of the CO₂ Act after 2020 is being debated in the autumn session of the Federal Parliament. The Act provides for support for cross-border rail services from the climate fund. Last week, the Swiss Parliament voted in favour of supporting international passenger services, including night trains. While subject to a final vote and a possible referendum, financial support from the climate fund would compensate for the losses SBB would sustain given the high operating costs night train services involve.

ÖBB is the largest provider of night train services in Europe and has contributed significantly to maintaining night trains services from Switzerland in its existing partnership with SBB. Andreas Matthä, ÖBB CEO, said: “We have no doubts about the Nightjet’s success. With SBB as a committed and effective partner, we can continue to expand the Nightjet network even further. We are investing in new trains: 13 latest generation Nightjet sets will be in operation from the end of 2022. With additional services and modern rolling stock, taking the night train will become an even more attractive option.”

SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot has no doubt that demand for fast daytime services and night trains will continue to grow. “This is a sustainable trend and the demand for environmentally friendly and resource-efficient mobility will continue to increase.”

SBB and ÖBB consider night train services as an important element of the overall service offer and see great potential for creating synergies with daytime services. An attractive rail offer helps to achieve the goal of modal shift from short-haul flights to rail.

Alstom Signs First Contract for Battery-Electric Regional Trains in Germany

February 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom will manufacture, deliver and maintain until 2032 eleven Coradia Continental battery-electric trains for regional traffic on the Leipzig-Chemnitz route on behalf of VMS (Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen) and with the support of ZVNL (Zweckverband für den Nahverkehrsraum Leipzig), the two authorities responsible for this line. The contract is worth approximately €100 million. Following this order, Alstom offers all types of traction systems on the market as well as the full range of emission-free drives, from efficient electric motors to hydrogen fuel cells and advanced battery traction.

In 2014, Alstom had previously signed a contract with VMS for the delivery of 29 Coradia Continental electric regional trains (EMU). In order to bridge the 80 kilometres of non-electrified line between the cities of Chemnitz and Leipzig, the authority requested a battery-electric version (BEMU). The new trains will enter service in 2023. They will be built at Alstom’s German site of Salzgitter, in Lower Saxony. The battery traction sub-system is designed and supplied by Alstom’s traction centre of excellence in Tarbes.

“We are immensely proud to be providing the responsible authorities with a sustainable and perfectly-suited solution. Today, Alstom stands apart in being able to offer any form of emission-free traction currently on the market built into a proven solution. As a responsible company, Alstom has an intense focus on sustainable mobility, offering the best-fitting solutions that make it not only possible, but also cost-effective and attractive,” says Gian Luca Erbacci, Senior Vice President of Alstom Europe.

The Coradia Continental BEMU trains will be similar to those already in service on the Dresden, Riesa and Zwickau routes. The main difference: they will also have high-performance batteries on the roof. The train, based on the proven Coradia Continental, builds on Alstom’s long experience in battery traction, gained with the Coradia iLint, Citadis trams and the Prima H3 locomotive.

The Coradia Continental BEMU has a range of up to 120 kilometres and can be operated under catenary as well as on non-electrified sections. The three-car-trains will be 56 metres long and equipped with 150 seats. They will have a top speed of 160 km/h in battery mode. The capacity of the batteries (high-power lithium-ion) is calculated to ensure catenary-free operation of the line Chemnitz-Leipzig without any sacrifice in performance or comfort.

Alstom’s Coradia range allows operators and transport authorities to offer their passengers regional trains that meet their needs and expectations, while demonstrating exemplary reliability and cost-effectiveness. Alstom has tailored the Coradia range to operate with all available emission-free power systems, from electric to battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cells. The latter, the Coradia iLint, powered by fuel cells and offering performance comparable to a diesel train while emitting nothing but water, has been in passenger service in Germany for over a year.

DHL Adds New Boeing Freighters to CVG Base

June 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DHL Express introduced the first plane in a new line of Boeing aircraft based at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, which will gradually replace the company’s older intercontinental fleet.

The first aircraft in an order of 14 Boeing 777 freighters took off on its commercial maiden flight May 25 from the DHL Express hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to Bahrain. Three more 777 Freighters will arrive this year to continue replacing DHL’s previous Boeing 747-400 aircraft for intercontinental flights.

Click the link for the full story! https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/06/03/dhl-adds-new-boeing-freighters-to-intercontinental.html