The German Steel Federation (WV Stahl) and some of the most prominent logistics companies have recently lamented how the rail construction sites in Germany are creating an unbearable situation. The former stressed that reliable supply is at risk, while the latter pointed out that connectivity to ports is significantly worsening due to infrastructure works.
“The current situation regarding ore and coal transport by rail is extremely critical for the steel industry”, said Kerstin Maria Rippel, Managing Director of the German Steel Federation. Production plants are already experiencing disruptions, she added. The federation is thus calling for the German infrastructure manager DB InfraGO to improve construction site management.
Joining WV Stahl were freight forwarder Kuene+Naghel (K+N) and shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd. The German rail network is under severe pressure K+N said, with operators encountering major bottlenecks especially in the Hamburg area, where the lines to Berlin and Hannover are now being simultaneously upgraded. Adding bad weather and IT outages to this mix created the perfect storm, with unpredictable schedules, missed port connections and even a fire at the Altenwerder Container Terminal.
Affecting everywhere
The impact of the construction works in Germany is massive. Intermodal transport in the country dropped by 20% in 2025, and railway closures were the main reason behind the decline in European combined transport in the first quarter of this year too. The German rail overhaul plan is also affecting rail transport along the Rhine-Alpine Corridor, Europe’s busiest freight axis.
Change of heart?
It may be time to admit that Germany bit more than it could chew when it launched its railway revolution plan. Everyone acknowledged that the German network needs massive renovations after decades of being ignored, but the situation is now unbearable for many in the industry. A first, small, step back was taken earlier this week, when DB InfraGO decided to implement multiple shorter closures instead of a very long one for the works along the Munich-Rosenheim line.