Page 31 - Port of Hamburg Magazine - 01.19

Hamburg Port Railway run like clockwork for 365 days of the year, so that all freight certainly arrives at its de- stination - without any loss of time.
With ‘transPORT rail’, HPA has developed a traffic man- agement system for rail transport in the Port of Ham- burg that offers an effective interface for both freight and data transport. Users gain access to the system either through an interface or via the Internet through WebClient. Users consist as a rule of loading points, rail operators, marshalling service providers, railcar owners and operators. Where the appropriate agree- ments have been reached, data may be used directly by the customers or their service providers.
INCREASED EFFICIENCY GENERATES SUCCESS
A further significant key to the success of rail transport on Hamburg Port Railway is steadily growing efficien- cy. For instance, the average load factor on trains run- ning on the Port Railway network has now reached 74 standard containers per train.
Repeated boosts to/cargo volumes and efficiency on Hamburg Port Railway underline Hamburg’s status as the most important hub for railborne shipments. This also represents a substantial contribution to the envi- ronment and to transferring traffic. Thanks to lengthe- ning of track blocks, in 2018, the number of long trains
– of 740 metres upwards – was boosted by a further three percent.
Determined separation of road and rail traffic within the port has accelerated fIows there. The recently comple- ted Rethe drawbridge and the Kattwyk railway bridge, which is now under construction, will reduce traffic jams enormously, since they eliminate crossings and let road and rail traffic to run parallel at the same time.
AUTOMATIC DETECTION UNITS ON BRINK
OF ROLL-OUT
Following an extensive test phase, the port’s Rail Da- ta Gate will shortly be introduced. HPA has installed automatic detection units at two points between Hausbruch and Alte Süderelbe Rail Station. These conduct near-process checks of passing trains for lengths, railcar sequences, railcar weights and hazar- dous goods markings. They also facilitate early detec- tion of flat patches on railcar wheels before these as- sume threatening dimensions. “These data facilitate still better and more efficient rail operation in the port for us,” says Harald Kreft, HPA’s Head of Railway Infrastructure. “Besides, other stakeholders in rail lo- gistics and the maritime industry can profit in plan- ning and dispositioning their shipments from the addi- tional data offered.” ■
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FUTURE PORT ■