Soon to be CMA CGM Subsidiary Freightliner in the UK has announced an agreement with rolling stock leasing company Porterbrook. The deal will see the intermodal rail freight operation acquire 150 brand-new intermodal wagons. The units will be built by UK manufacturer WH Davis. Wabtec UK will supply the bogies. The agreement will see the new fleet on the UK rail network with a new design based on 40-foot platforms. This will allow greater efficiencies in the transportation of container volumes. The operator expects around a seven per cent carbon reduction compared with the more common 60-foot platforms.
“Freightliner is thrilled to be partnering with Porterbrook Leasing and WH Davis on this crucial new build project,” said Chris Lawrenson, Managing Director – Intermodal Logistics for Freightliner UK. “Supporting UK manufacturing wherever viable is not just important to us as a business, but also to our country’s economy. These new 40-foot wagons will bring in further efficiencies to our services and increase modal share to rail from road, which in turn allows us to deliver more effectively for our customers, enabling growth and ultimately removing more lorries from our congested roads.”
Bigger isn’t always better
The wagons will be built by WH Davis at their Mansfield factory in the English East Midlands. Porterbrook, for its part, is set on a growth strategy that includes growing its freight portfolio. “The order of this new wagon design serves as a landmark deal in our portfolio and will help our customer achieve greater efficiencies and fewer carbon emissions in its future operations,” said Max Ordish, Head of Freight & Commercial Projects for Porterbrook.
The wagons will begin arriving in Q1 of 2027. They are of a new design based on 40ft platforms (2TEU). This, says Freightliner, allows greater efficiencies in the transportation of container volumes. The rail freight operator expects to see about a seven per cent carbon emissions reduction, compared with 60-foot platforms. The more common 60-foot wagons often carry one 2TEU container but have an unoccupied 1TEU berth. The proportion of 20-foot containers shipped worldwide has fallen to about a quarter of all boxes shipped, hence the empty spaces often spotted on UK intermodal trains.
British design and manufacturing
WH Davis is the only remaining UK-based independent freight rolling stock manufacturer. They recently announced an expansion of their workforce, independently of this order. Andy Houghton, their Managing Director, said his company was proud to be working alongside Porterbrook and Freightliner on what he described as an innovative, low-carbon solution for the intermodal market. “Securing this order for our new wagon design represents a significant milestone for our business, and we are looking forward to building on the collaborative relationship between the three companies.”
Wabtec will be supplying the bogies for the new wagons. “Our Axiom TF20+ bogie design, together with Wabtec’s UIC brake equipment, has been selected for the new wagons,” said Tim Bentley, Group Vice President, Regional Services for Wabtec UK. “This will deliver key life cycle benefits, including extended wheel life, fuel savings, and reduced track access charges.” The design relies on sophisticated suspension to increase axle-load, while at the same time reducing impact on track infrastructure.
Freightliner is already the UK’s largest intermodal rail freight operator, as well as a substantial road logistics provider. This is the first major purchase since the company was sold to French shipping giant CMA CGM, earlier this year.