DOW Chemicals: Future-proof growth by rail

Pim Bastiaanse, Rail Manager Europe at Dow, has been named Rail Shipper of the Year 2024. From his base in Terneuzen, he shares his vision on the sector and Dow’s operations.

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Video: Rail talent of the year Matthew Harteveld about the European Year of Skills

The rail sector is also currently facing a severe skills shortage as a large part of the workforce will retire in the next 10 years, just when technological developments require more skills.

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Rail Cargo Ambassadors present final report on European Year of Youth

The rail ambassadors of the European Year of Youth Marleen van de Kerkhof (on behalf of Railforum and Jonge Veranderaars) and Oscar Vermeij (on behalf of Rail Cargo information Netherlands) handed over their final report “The future is ours!” to Dutch State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management

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Together we are building the future of rail freight transport. Are you also joining in?

With the initiative Rail Freight. The Future is Ours, we as a sector are united in our commitment to sustainable, competitive and reliable freight transport. Contact us and become an ambassador too!

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Switzerland Set to Roll Out Solar Panels Between Railway Tracks

With the Swiss national railway network stretching beyond 2,000 miles of track, estimates place the amount of power generation at potentially beyond 1 terawatt hour or 2% of the entire gross annual consumption.

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Van Dijk Flora chooses rail freight for international distribution of flowers and plants

Austria now joins Sweden, Italy, Spain and Poland as destinations served intermodally by Van Dijk Flora. The modal shift on this route results in a CO₂ reduction of 900 kilograms per trip.

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On the green track part 3: Ricoh

More transport by rail is a must. Otherwise, we will not achieve our climate targets. Yet some companies seem reluctant to switch from road to intermodal transport. A misjudgment as there are only advantages. In this series, we talk to shippers who have already made the step.

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Most recent articles

16 April 2026 in Logistics service providers and shippers

Military transport by rail essential for Europe’s resilience

In a time when geopolitical tensions are rising and logistics chains are under pressure, the importance of rail freight transport…
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16 April 2026 in Logistics service providers and shippers

Rail Talent of the Year 2025

“The future of the transport sector lies in the interplay between the modalities” About 75 percent of the regulations facing…
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16 April 2026 in Logistics service providers and shippers

Rail Shipper of the Year 2025

“Of course we knew it would be challenging, yet we are doing it.” The transport of fresh flowers and plants…
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16 April 2026 in Logistics service providers and shippers

Rail Person of the Year 2025

“Everyone agrees that the future of freight transport lies on rail because it is more sustainable and safer.” “The title…
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16 April 2026 in Logistics service providers and shippers

Kristian Schmidt: “Doubling rail freight transport by 2030 is a challenge, but it must be done.”

Rail freight transport is on the eve of a new growth phase. Europe is aiming for a substantial modal shift…
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“On the green track”

Part 2: Electrolux“We can’t do without this kind of transport”

More transport by rail is a must. Otherwise, we will not achieve our climate targets. Yet some companies seem reluctant to switch from road to intermodal transport. A misjudgment as there are only advantages. In this series, we talk to shippers who have already made the step.

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“On the green track”

Part 1: Swinkels Family Brewers“The benefits are immense”

More transport by rail is a must. Otherwise, we will not achieve our climate targets. Yet some companies seem reluctant to switch from road to intermodal transport. A misjudgment as there are only advantages. In this series, we talk to shippers who have already made the step.

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“2023: European Year of Skills!”

The Future is OursEU campaign

Rail Cargo and The Future is Ours have adopted the European Year of Skills to promote working in the rail freight sector and create a better image for international rail freight transport in Europe.

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“Connecting Europe Express: On the right track to European unification”

The topic of discussion?The Dutch challenges of freight transport in a European context.

The Connecting Europe Express covered 20,000 kilometers last month, crisscrossing Europe. On October 4, the train covered the Amsterdam-Brussels route.

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“Het spoorgoederenvervoer in 2050
De toekomst begint nu”

Paul Zoeter, Bas Reijnders en Eric NooijenGenomineerden voor de Rail Cargo Award voor Person of the Year

By 2050, CO2 emissions from the mobility sector will have fallen by 90%. The doubling of rail freight transport has made an unprecedented contribution to this.

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“2023: European Year of Skills!”

The Future is OursEU campaign

Rail Cargo and The Future is Ours have adopted the European Year of Skills to promote working in the rail freight sector and create a better image for international rail freight transport in Europe.

LINK

“2023: European Year of Skills!”

The Future is OursEU campaign

Rail Cargo and The Future is Ours have adopted the European Year of Skills to promote working in the rail freight sector and create a better image for international rail freight transport in Europe.

LINK

Our mission

Grow: We aim to move 50% more goods via the Dutch railways within the next 10 years to achieve the European sustainability targets. This is a complex task, and the Dutch rail freight sector is happy to take up the challenge.

Transparency: This initiative will unite us, and the Dutch rail freight sector will speak with 1 voice and from 1 party about how we will realize our ambitions. We will do this transparently and with a focus on the future. Because the future is ours! Are you also joining in?

Next generation (EU Year of Skills): Our goal is to promote our sector among the next generation by actively connecting young professionals within the European rail freight sector. We do this to enable innovation and highlight how the sector is working on innovation, what products are transported by rail, and what skills make this sector so interesting and challenging.

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Wietse Bruinsma Rail Logistics

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We thank these organisations for their active participation and support to start this initiative. Would you, as an organisation, also like to support this initiative? Then become an ambassador and register below.

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Do you have questions about the initiative Rail Freight, The Future is Ours? Would you like to become an ambassador? Or are you considering transporting goods by rail? Then please contact us. Leave a message with your details and we will contact you within 2 working days.