Rhine-Alpine News
05.11.2025
Pilot: Green Rails on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor
Image by M from Pixabay
Deutsche Bahn is using climate-friendly steel for the first time, in a pilot project on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor to produce 1,000 tons of “green” rails. Produced in France using electric arc furnaces and scrap metal instead of coal and iron ore, the steel cuts emissions by up to 70 percent. The rails will be installed in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland, covering around 22 kilometres. The project aims to promote sustainable supply chains in the rail industry. Green steel, however, remains more expensive. The move comes as Germany’s steel sector faces high energy costs, weak demand, and competition from cheap imports, raising concerns about its long-term competitiveness.
Source: https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/deutsche-bahn-schienen-gruener-stahl-saarstahl-100.html (in German)
RFI Unveils Plans to Strengthen the Gotthard Corridor
Image by Lars Schlageter from Pixabay
RFI has outlined new plans to boost the Gotthard rail corridor between Italy and Switzerland, marking a shift from its earlier stance that existing upgrades would suffice beyond 2030. At a conference in Milan on October 28, 2025, Michele Rabino, RFI’s head of infrastructure development for Northwest Italy, announced two key projects. The first is the launch of the Docfap feasibility process for an eastern freight bypass around Milan, addressing expected congestion on the Seregno–Monza and Milano Greco–Lambrate sections. Options include doubling the Seregno–Carnate line and building a new route from Carnate to Melzo/Treviglio, directly linking eastern Milan to the Gotthard axis. The second project upgrades the Milano–Chiasso line by 2035, adding a third track between Camnago–Lentate and Cantù–Cermenate, a new Seregno post with freight loops, and a reconfigured Rosales junction. Rfi also continues work on Alpine routes—Simplon, Luino, and Chiasso—focusing on P/C80 gauge adaptation and 750-metre loops, with full completion expected by 2028.
Source: https://www.trasportoeuropa.it/english/rfi-unveils-plans-to-strengthen-the-gotthard-corridor/
Ports of Duisburg and Rotterdam Continue to Jointly Shape the Energy Transition
251030 LOI Bangen, Wuest, Siemons, Meyer-Landrut, Klein
The ports of Duisburg and Rotterdam have renewed their partnership to advance the energy transition and industrial decarbonization. In the presence of NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, a new Letter of Intent was signed to develop sustainable waterway transport corridors and strengthen the Rhine as a key cross-border logistics axis. Wüst highlighted the ports’ roles as future hubs for hydrogen and CO₂, boosting supply chain resilience and Europe’s competitiveness. A new focus is CO₂ export for hard-to-abate industries via CCUS, enabling carbon capture and storage across borders. Duisport CEO Markus Bangen stressed joint action for sustainable logistics, while Rotterdam CEO Boudewijn Siemons emphasized plans to shift energy imports toward renewables. The renewed cooperation builds on earlier projects in digitalization, rail, and green energy transport.
Source: https://duisport.de/haefen-in-duisburg-und-rotterdam-gestalten-weiter-gemeinsam-die-energiewende/ (in German)