100 Years of Czech Inland Shipping

100 years ago, the inland shipping company CSPL was founded in the Czech town of Děčín. Like no other company, it symbolizes the entire shipping industry in the Czech Republic. Since its acquisition by the Rhenus Group in 2018, the company has been investing in its fleet and is thus well-prepared for future challenges.

(Děčín) Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL, headquartered in Děčín, transports bulk and heavy goods, general cargo, as well as investment and construction parts. With its fleet, the inland shipping company navigates the Central European waterways, focusing primarily on the German canal network and the Elbe River. The acquisition of the Czech company completed Rhenus PartnerShip’s portfolio of inland shipping activities. Last year, Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL shipped a total of 315,753 tons of goods.

On June 13, 1922, CSPL was established as a semi-private company by Czech banks and the state. While CSPL today specializes in inland shipping transport, it previously handled all activities related to freight forwarding and goods transport. In the 1950s, the company converted its fleet from steam-powered tugs to motor vessels. In the 1970s, push boats expanded the portfolio. During the same decade, CSPL owned shipyards and ports along the Elbe River up to Hamburg. After 1989, a phase of privatization took place. In 2002, the international logistics company Argo established the new CSPL A.S. from part of the original company. The Rhenus Group acquired the inland shipping company in 2018. Since then, it has operated under the name Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL. “The acquisition by Rhenus marked the beginning of a new chapter for CSPL. We have invested significantly in our fleet and optimized our processes,” explains Pavel Hamalčik, Sales Manager at the Děčín location. Increasing operational possibilities and new goods flows present an opportunity for the Czech company to move even more tonnage. In the near future, Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL aims to expand its fleet towards sustainable inland shipping.

In honor of the hundredth anniversary of inland shipping in the Czech Republic, the city of Děčín is organizing a city festival on June 18, 2022, where Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL will present itself with its own booth.

Photo: © Rhenus PartnerShip-CSPL