European Rail Freight Cooperation Secures Raw Material Supply

Vienna, Austria – ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG), voestalpine, and SŽ-Tovorni promet, the freight transport subsidiary of Slovenia's Slovenske železnice, are enhancing their collaboration to secure European industrial raw material supply chains. The companies highlight how close cross-border cooperation can maintain rail logistics despite infrastructure pressures.

The transport of raw materials from the Port of Koper in Slovenia to voestalpine's steel sites in Linz and Donawitz, Austria, serves as a case study for resilient logistics. In 2025, approximately 3.1 million tonnes of raw materials were moved via Koper. RCG handles about 8.5 million tonnes of raw materials annually for voestalpine.

International rail freight faces increasing challenges due to simultaneous construction projects, line closures, and capacity limitations. Modernization efforts at border stations like Jesenice contribute to these short-term difficulties, though they aim for long-term infrastructure improvements. The materials transported include iron ore, metallurgical coal, and hot briquetted iron (HBI).

To mitigate these issues, the companies are coordinating capacity, rolling stock, staffing, and alternative routes. The use of interoperable locomotives has significantly reduced train processing times at the Jesenice border station, from around two hours to a maximum of 30 minutes. The three partners are also calling for more coordinated European infrastructure planning, harmonized standards, and simplified border procedures.

voestalpine emphasizes that uninterrupted raw material flow is essential for stable steel production, particularly with its upcoming "greentec steel" initiative. The companies believe that enhanced cooperation and better European coordination are key to maintaining industrial competitiveness and supply chain resilience.