Environmental measures

DB Cargo is making a significant contribution to shifting traffic to the rails, and thus to the achievement of European climate protection targets. The associated environmental measures include:

• Procurement of the first 100 dual-power track locomotivesno. 57 of the 249 series. Dual-power locomotives are a special design of e-locomotive that take their energy from the overhead wires on electrified sections of track and from a diesel generator on the locomotive on non-electrified sections of track.
• Procurement of the first 50 Toshiba hybrid locomotivesno. 44. Preparations for assembly at DB Cargo’s Rostock maintenance depot began in 2021. The hybrid locomotives are set to replace 61 old locomotives.
• To secure the required replacements for the shunting locomotive fleet, hybrid shunting locomotives were tendered across Europe. The tender ended in December, and a framework contract for up to 250 locomotives was signed with Vossloh Locomotives GmbH; 50 vehicles have been ordered for 2024. The new shunting locomotives are plug-in hybrid models and have sufficient engine power with state-of-the-art emissions control. The drive systems have a modular design and can be easily replaced to keep pace with technological developments. The Federal Government is participating in the initial order with funding of up to€ 15 million.
• In 2021, DB Cargo set up a national rail freight network for Coca-Cola, linking 13 of the beverage company’s sites. Switching this transport to rail will prevent emissions of about 1,900 t CO₂ each year.
• New connections are set to be used to transport more DHL packages by rail. The proportion of packages sent to their recipients in this way increased from under 2% to 6%. In the long term, about 20% of main package runs (connections between package centers) will be transported by rail.
• The driver assistance system LEADERno. 08, which is in­­stalled on 650 e-locomotives (about 66% of the e-locomotive fleet), was developed further in 2021. LEADER supports traction unit drivers in saving energy when driving.