The HHLA subsidiary Metrans is investing in the further enhancement of its production quality. The twenty TRAXX multi-system locomotives from Bombardier are specifically designed to accommodate the different power supply and automatic train protection systems in Central Europe. They will primarily be used for traction services between Hamburg/Bremerhaven and the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. All of the locomotives are to be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2015.


Klaus-Dieter Peters, Chairman of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG's (HHLA) Executive Board: "HHLA's business model is based on the close dovetailing and optimisation of all processes along the transport chain between seaport and clients in the European hinterland. To do this, we rely on our own facilities and rolling stock so that we can even better oversee our processes, sustainably improve the quality of our services and provide more attractive offers for our clients. We are continuing to systematically implement this strategy with the purchase of the Bombardier locomotives. Since we meanwhile also provide our own shunting services in the Port of Hamburg, we will be further increasing the vertical range of production with the newly acquired locomotives."


Jiri Samek, Managing Director of the Metrans Group, explains: "The locomotives that we are
purchasing from Bombardier are perfect for meeting our requirements. Due to the fact that they can cope with the different power supply and automatic train protection systems in Central Europe, we will be using them primarily for traffic to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, but also to Austria, Switzerland and within Germany. By using our own, high-performance locomotives, we hope to achieve both a reduction in costs and, in particular, a further increase in production quality. With more than ninety weekly connections between Hamburg and the Metrans terminals in Prague and Ceska Trebova e.g., reliable production is of the utmost importance."


Metrans currently offers up to seven departures per day in each direction between the Port of Hamburg and the Czech hub terminals in Prague and Ceska Trebova. The shunting of individual carriages, which costs both time and energy, is eliminated since the block trains used are always arranged in the same way. The number of weekly Metrans shuttle trains on the most important routes is as follows:

- Hamburg-Prague/Ceska Trebova: 92
- Bremerhaven-Prague/Ceska Trebova: 28
- Rotterdam-Prague/Ceska Trebova/Dunajska Streda: 18
- Koper-Dunajska Streda: 28


Metrans has also been offering its clients tightly scheduled rail connections within Germany, Austria and Switzerland since autumn 2012. While routes to Austria run via hub terminals, Metrans has set up direct connections between sites in Germany/Switzerland and Hamburg/Bremerhaven. To meet rising demand, the number of departures has been continuously increased:

- Hamburg-Bavaria (Munich/Nuremberg): 22
- Hamburg-Leipzig: 14
- Hamburg-Ludwigshafen/Basle: 6


Ulrich Jochem, President of the Locomotives business unit at Bombardier Transportation, added: "The TRAXX locomotives for the HHLA subsidiary Metrans will be the first Bombardier locomotives that will be used in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Through our collaboration with Metrans, we are thus expanding the radius for our TRAXX multi-system locomotives, of which more than 260 are already in operation."


The Bombardier TRAXX F140 MS are among the most modern locomotives in electric rail freight transport, and they can be used along all European routes. They drive with a maximum output of 5,600 kW and with a maximum speed of 140 km/h. The TRAXX F140 MS locomotive can be used for cargo and passenger transport services, though its high pulling power makes it particularly well suited for cargo transport.

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