Towards the Decarbonization of the Terminal
The Bettembourg-Dudelange intermodal terminal benefits from financial support from the European Union through the “Connecting Europe Facility” program to implement a multi-year investment plan to support the shift in transportation modes and the process of decarbonization. As part of this initiative, terminal tractors were replaced and electric charging stations for trucks were installed in 2024.
Following the installation of a third gantry crane, operational since 2023, CFL terminals commissioned four new electric tractors from the brand MOL in November 2024.
Tractors with numerous advantages
Like the older diesel models, these will be used to move semi-trailers around the multimodal platform and transfer them onto rail motorway trains. Thanks to this new fleet, diesel consumption is expected to drop from 144,770 liters in 2022 to around 30,000 liters in 2025.
This will lead to a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions, from 449 tons in 2022 to around 90 tons in 2025. Full decarbonization of the site’s activities is targeted for 2027.
CFL site services has continued its investments to further develop the “Centre Routier Sécurisé” (CRS) in Bettembourg, with projects focused on sustainability. Following the installation of a hydrogen station in 2023 in partnership with TotalEnergies, two electric charging stations were added in 2024, allowing up to four tractors to be charged simultaneously.
CFL site services is thus among the pioneers in Luxembourg when it comes to installing electric charging stations for trucks. “Our goal is to enable road transport companies operating at Eurohub Sud—especially those using intermodal trains—to decarbonize their pre- and post-haulage operations,” explains Barbara Chevalier, Director of Fret Activities at CFL.
European Support The “PULSE” investment plan (capacity, automation, digitalization, decarbonization, and modernization) implemented at the Bettembourg-Dudelange intermodal terminal is supported by the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, under an agreement signed in 2022 with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).