Live Coverage: 'Intermodal Wagons and Loading Units' Webinar

RAILTARGET brings you live coverage from today’s webinar on 'Intermodal Wagons and Loading Units', organised under the Combined Transport for Europe (CT4EU) campaign. The session focuses on how intermodal wagon design, loading unit compatibility, and standardisation can improve the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of freight transport across Europe.

11:00 Eric Feyen, Technical Director at UIRR, opens the webinar by welcoming participants and introducing the CT4EU initiative, which aims to strengthen the position of Combined Transport within Europe’s freight and logistics system. He explains that the campaign focuses on promoting the efficiencies of Combined Transport while improving recognition of its advantages among policymakers and business decision-makers.

11:05 Feyen presents CT4EU as a multi-task campaign built around three pillars: mission, approach, and impact. The initiative combines fact-based studies, cross-sector collaboration, and engagement with policymakers at both EU and national levels. According to Feyen, the broader objective is to ensure Combined Transport is recognised as a key pillar of Europe’s freight transport system at a time of increasing pressure on logistics networks, decarbonisation targets, and supply chain resilience.

He then turns to the importance of interoperability, calling it a fundamental requirement for Combined Transport in Europe. He explains that goods, loading units, and wagons must all work together seamlessly in order to ensure efficient cross-border freight operations.

Referring to standards developed by ISO, CEN, and UIC, he mentions the wide variety of loading units used today—from containers and swap bodies to tank and reefer containers—and specialised wagon types such as pocket wagons, modular wagons, and well wagons. According to Feyen, interoperability is what allows Combined Transport to remain flexible and competitive across Europe’s logistics chain.

11:10 František Domanický, Sales Manager at Tatravagonka, begins his presentation with an overview of the Slovak wagon manufacturer, describing it as one of Europe’s leading producers of freight wagons and bogies. He talks about the company’s strong production base, R&D capacity, and long-term focus on innovation in freight rail transport.

According to Domanický, Tatravagonka currently produces around 4,500 wagons annually and has significant bogie manufacturing capacity, while around 90% of production is based on the company’s own development. He also points to the company’s involvement in European freight rail strategy, telematics development, and preparations for automatic coupling technologies.

11:20 He then shifts towards the broader market situation in European rail freight. Domanický describes the coming years as highly challenging for the sector, warning that 2025–2027 could become particularly difficult for intermodal transport and wagon manufacturers.

He notes that while some sectors, such as grain transport, have reached their peak and others are under pressure from EU regulations, Tatravagonka still sees strong long-term potential in intermodal freight. The company expects demand for more competitive and flexible wagon solutions capable of supporting both commercial logistics and dual-use transport, including military mobility.

11:25 Domanický presents several wagon concepts developed to improve the competitiveness of rail against road transport, including container wagons, special carrier wagons, and basket wagons designed for non-cranable semi-trailers.

Focusing on the six-axle basket wagon, he explains that the concept is intended to simplify the transport of non-cranable trailers, which still dominate European road freight. According to the presentation, around 95% of European semi-trailers are non-cranable, while more than 85% of terminals already use vertical lifting technologies, creating demand for more practical intermodal solutions.

11:30 The basket wagon is presented as a way to reduce loading complexity, save time, and increase the attractiveness of rail freight compared to unimodal road transport. Domanický explains that the basket forms part of the wagon itself, eliminating the need for additional lifting devices and making the system suitable for both cranable and non-cranable semi-trailers.

11:35 Nicolas Chambon of MODAL Group takes the floor with a broader view of innovation in multimodal logistics. He presents MODAL Group as a smaller player competing with much larger companies, arguing that innovation is therefore not optional, but one of the few ways to remain competitive.

Chambon says that innovation in intermodal transport does not begin with technology itself, but with understanding customers’ operational costs and constraints. For MODAL Group, the starting point is to analyse flows, volumes, terminal conditions, contract duration, and the economic logic behind each investment.

He explains that MODAL Group is building an ecosystem around sustainable multimodal logistics, combining activities such as railway operation, combined transport, terminal management, leasing, maintenance, engineering, and manufacturing. The group currently operates across eight countries, with around 250 team members, 2,000 wagon platforms, 8,000 TEUs, and nine terminal or platform infrastructures.

Chambon also talks about several innovation projects, including the Butterfly Container, Potato Container, and LNG cryogenic tanks, showing how loading units can be adapted to specific operational needs, from safer ground-level handling and recyclable materials to agri-food logistics and low-carbon gas transport.

11:40 Chambon says that innovation cannot be delivered by one company alone. He points to cooperation with manufacturers, terminals, customers, and equipment providers as essential for making new solutions work in practice.

According to him, the key question is not only whether an innovation is technically possible, but who pays for it, who benefits from it, and whether the business model provides enough visibility to justify investment. In this sense, multimodal innovation depends on long-term partnerships as much as on new equipment.

11:45 Pierre-Nicolas Chilles from MODAL Group continues the presentation by focusing on practical innovation in loading units and intermodal equipment. He explains that the company develops a range of specialised containers and swap bodies designed to improve loading efficiency, transport optimisation, and operational safety across combined transport chains.

According to Chilles, swap bodies remain particularly important in the European market because they are better adapted to combined transport operations and terminal handling requirements. MODAL Group’s strategy is to "push the limits" of existing equipment by improving both logistics performance and sustainability.

He presents several innovation projects developed by the company, including the Butterfly Container — an open-top container designed to improve safety and efficiency compared to traditional loading solutions. The container can reportedly be opened and closed in around 20 seconds by a single operator directly from ground level, reducing worker exposure to risk and eliminating the need for work at height.

Chilles also talks about specialised solutions for agri-food logistics, including containers developed for potato transport with insulated interiors and optimised loading features. Another example focuses on LNG cryogenic tank containers, where increased capacity (around 52 cubic metres compared to the standard 46 cubic metres) helps improve transport efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

Beyond equipment itself, Chilles says that innovation in combined transport depends on operational integration and long-term cooperation between manufacturers, logistics providers, terminals, and customers. He notes that developing prototypes and bringing them through certification requires continuous fieldwork, investment, and close cooperation with partners.

He also points to eco-design becoming an increasingly important part of the development process, including considerations related to carbon footprint reduction, recyclable materials, and end-of-life planning. According to Chilles, the sector can only shift more freight from road to rail if intermodal transport becomes more competitive, economically viable, and operationally efficient.

11:50 Maria Genyn, Sales Manager at UNIT45, presents the Dutch container leasing company as a specialised player focused entirely on 45-foot pallet-wide containers for the European intermodal market. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Rotterdam, UNIT45 currently holds around 65% market share in this segment and operates a fleet of approximately 33,000 containers.

Genyn explains that the company combines leasing, direct sales, and tailor-made solutions for customers, with production taking place in three factories in China. One of the newest production sites is fully automated, allowing highly precise welding and improved quality control for dry freight containers.

UNIT45 develops containers adapted to very different logistics needs, including double-stack systems, hanging garment containers, high-capacity pallet transport solutions, and lightweight curtain-sided swap bodies approved for high-speed rail operations up to 120 km/h.

Genyn poins out the company’s efforts to maximise loading efficiency while reducing weight. UNIT45 uses lightweight but high-strength steel, full bamboo flooring for durability and sustainability, and improved internal designs that optimise loading space and forklift access.

12:00 UNIT45 has developed several diesel-electric reefer containers equipped with remote monitoring systems that allow operators to track temperature, fuel levels, and technical status in real time.

Some models are designed specifically for long-distance Eurasian rail transport and can operate for more than 20 days without refuelling, even in extreme winter temperatures reaching -45°C. The company has also introduced multi-temperature containers capable of transporting frozen and chilled goods simultaneously within the same loading unit.

Genyn says that future innovation in loading units will depend not only on capacity and operational efficiency, but also on environmental performance and regulatory readiness. UNIT45 is already preparing containers for future refrigerant requirements expected to become mandatory by 2030 and continues reducing container weight to increase payload capacity and lower emissions.

According to Genyn, intermodal logistics increasingly requires highly specialised and flexible loading units capable of serving different industries while remaining compatible with Europe’s combined transport network.

12:05 Daniel Hemker, Managing Director of Wecon, presents the German family-owned company’s approach to customised logistics and swap body development. Founded in 1988, the company now operates facilities in Germany and Poland with nearly 400 employees, focusing on specialised transport solutions for both road and combined transport operations.

Hemker explains that customer requirements increasingly demand highly customised loading units adapted to specific operational needs, cargo types, and regional transport conditions. According to him, Western European markets remain more focused on combined transport, while other regions still rely more heavily on road transport and trailers.

He then presents Wecon’s work on specialised swap bodies, semi-trailers, and transport systems designed to improve flexibility and loading efficiency. Hemker points in particular to loading security as a growing challenge in intermodal logistics, especially for cargo such as paper rolls, coils, pallets, and scrap materials.

Hemker also discusses Wecon’s participation in multiple rail innovation and development programmes, including projects linked to Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC). He argues that rail freight often suffers from overly complicated technical solutions compared to the simplicity of road logistics, and says the sector must make rail operations easier and more flexible if it wants to attract more freight.

A major focus is the company’s "High Stack" swap body concept for 45-foot units. The system allows swap bodies to be stacked up to three times while maintaining sliding-roof loading functionality, helping terminals use space more efficiently at a time when land and infrastructure capacity are becoming increasingly limited.

12:15 According to Hemker, terminal capacity constraints are becoming one of the biggest issues facing combined transport in Europe. As rail freight volumes continue growing and pressure mounts to shift cargo from road to rail, operators and manufacturers will need to develop smarter, more space-efficient logistics solutions.

He concludes by pointing out the need for closer cooperation across the rail freight ecosystem, arguing that the sector will only overcome its current challenges through joint development of practical and economically viable intermodal technologies.

12:20 Marc Valette from CFL multimodal explains how the company developed its own digital monitoring tools for intermodal freight after stricter safety requirements followed the 2019 Great Belt Bridge accident. According to him, no suitable market solution existed at the time, forcing CFL multimodal to build and test its own system directly in live operations.

The company created the "CFL Lock-e" king pin monitoring system to detect incorrectly secured semi-trailers on trains. Valette says the goal was not to replace inspectors, but to give them faster and clearer information during train checks. The system is now installed on more than 1,000 units and fully integrated into daily operations.

Beyond safety, the platform evolved into a broader digital tool supporting GPS tracking, operational visibility, predictive maintenance, and communication with terminals. CFL multimodal says the technology improved loading efficiency, reduced waiting times, and helped operators identify issues before they became critical.

12:25 Valette says that digitalisation in rail freight only works when technologies are reliable, simple, and directly connected to operational needs. He warns against "technology for technology’s sake" and says many existing market solutions remain too disconnected from real freight operations.

CFL multimodal is now expanding the same approach into new areas, including digital brake testing systems and future DAC-related applications. Valette highlights the company’s ability to rapidly test innovations directly on operational trains, describing CFL multimodal as its own "first customer" when validating new technologies.

12:30 Valentin Dominguez, Head of Innovation at Combipass Iberica, closes the webinar with a presentation focused on the balance between standardisation, interoperability, and specialised intermodal equipment. He explains that modern intermodal logistics increasingly requires tailor-made loading units, but warns that higher performance often comes at the cost of reduced flexibility.

Dominguez outlines the engineering trade-offs facing the sector: operators constantly balance efficiency against interoperability, complexity against reliability, and specialisation against broader asset utilisation. According to him, the challenge is to improve operational performance without creating overly complicated systems that become difficult or expensive to maintain.

Combipass Iberica is currently working on several modular intermodal concepts, including detachable upper-structure units, dual-configuration UTIs, and modular wagon platforms designed for multiple cargo types. Dominguez says these projects aim to extend equipment lifecycle, improve flexibility, and reduce carbon footprints while still remaining compatible with existing intermodal infrastructure.

12:40 A major focus is the future integration of wagons and intermodal loading units into what Dominguez describes as "one operational system." Instead of designing wagons and loading units separately, future concepts would engineer both together, integrating restraint systems, geometry, and operational requirements from the beginning.

Dominguez also points out several experimental projects developed with customers and industrial partners, including sliding-floor systems and modular freight concepts adapted for bulk cargo operations. He concludes that innovation in intermodal transport should not pursue complexity for its own sake, but should solve concrete operational problems while maintaining scalability and interoperability across European rail networks.