SGKV Releases Numbers and Facts on Combined Transport

The Study Society for Combined Transport (SGKV e.V.) has now made its annual statistical report “Numbers and Facts” for the reporting year 2023 available on its website for SGKV members. Members can already view and download it. The statistical report is expected to be made available online to the public in early July 2025.

(Berlin) The report contains evaluations based on official statistics for the reporting year 2023. It examines both rail and inland waterway combined transport (KV) as well as total freight transport in Germany. In addition, the report provides an overview of forecasts regarding the volume and performance development for total freight transport as well as for KV. In addition to the official statistics, the report includes two excursions: on the one hand, a graphical breakdown of external costs in freight transport in Germany in 2022, and on the other hand, a summary of the traffic forecast 2040 from the BMDV (baseline forecast) regarding the development of combined transport.

Three interesting facts about freight transport and combined transport (KV) in Germany in advance:

• In 2023, the downward trend from the previous year continued; all transport sectors of freight transport in Germany again recorded losses.
• Combined transport (KV) in Germany recorded declines in both transport volume (-8.2%) and transport performance (-6.8%) compared to the previous year. Accordingly, the shares of combined transport in total freight transport fell to 7.8% in terms of transport performance and to 2.6% in terms of transport volume in 2023.
• According to the “Rolling Medium-Term Forecast” (Intraplan Consult/BALM), rail-based KV continues to be considered a growth driver in rail freight transport. By 2026, the highest growth rate of +6.1% (volume) and +7.0% (performance) is expected in rail-based KV among all freight transport carriers in Germany. The inland waterway-based KV is expected to stagnate until 2026. Based on the traffic forecast 2040 from the BMDV, a significant increase of +81% (performance) is expected for both mentioned transport modes in KV by 2040.

Photo: © SGKV