Freight companies collaborating through Railport have selected Lineas as their preferred rail operator for a consolidation project in Belgium’s Waasland Port area. The initiative aims to improve efficiency, reliability and competitiveness by pooling freight volumes from multiple companies.

The model will cover individual wagons, wagon groups and block trains, excluding deep-sea terminals. It builds on an existing consolidation scheme operating on the right bank of the port.

Lineas was chosen following a transparent and independent tender process overseen by Railport. Several rail operators were assessed against the same commercial and operational criteria, with the final decision made by the participating freight companies.

Pooling volumes to improve efficiency

By combining freight flows, the participating companies aim to make more efficient use of locomotives, staff, shunting capacity and infrastructure. The approach is expected to support more competitive transport rates, improve reliability and make rail freight more accessible to businesses with smaller or fragmented volumes.

The initiative is also intended to strengthen connections with European industrial and logistics regions, supporting existing rail services while encouraging a shift from road to rail for additional freight flows.

Railport to coordinate implementation

With Lineas selected, the project can move into the implementation phase. Railport will work alongside the operator and participating freight companies, acting as a neutral coordinator to safeguard the model’s transparency, reliability, quality and accessibility.

The consolidation scheme remains open to additional businesses interested in combining their freight volumes or shifting more cargo to rail. Railport will assess opportunities based on companies’ freight flows, destinations and operational requirements.

The initiative aims to strengthen rail’s role as a competitive and reliable transport option for freight moving to and from the port.