Six rail freight companies are testing a new form of operational cooperation in the Port of Rotterdam, designed to keep trains moving when capacity becomes tight on the port railway line.
The agreement has been signed by Rail Force One, HSL Netherlands, DB Cargo Nederland, RTB Cargo, LTE and ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, under the coordination of the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
The pilot, called Track Together, allows participating operators to take over each other’s shunting or train movements under predefined conditions when capacity shortages or disruptions occur.
The aim is to reduce train cancellations, avoid longer delays and give operators a faster way to respond when the regular timetable cannot be maintained.
The cooperation also creates a ready-to-use contingency mechanism for operational disruptions. If needed, trains can be taken over at short notice, while terminal tracks can be cleared more quickly so that planned services can continue with fewer knock-on effects.
Operational handling is managed through a dedicated app called PortFlow, which allows movements to be booked. The pilot started on 1 April 2026 and is planned to run for seven months.
During the pilot phase, the app developer, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the participating rail companies will evaluate the cooperation on a monthly basis.
For Rotterdam, the project creates a structured cooperation model between several rail freight operators on the port railway line, with a practical focus on reliability, capacity use and faster recovery during disruptions.
