The German transport state company Deutsche Bahn (DB) in its report for January – June 2021 recognized an increase in systematic delays of freight trains in comparison with the first half of 2020. During the reporting period, only 71% of freight trains in Germany arrived on time, compared with 80% for the same period 2020. According to the European Railways Network, freight train congestion and delays are most acute in North Rhine-Westphalia and along the Rhine Valley, in the Duisburg region, where the largest steel mills in the European Union, operated by Thyssenkrupp, are located.
German industrial companies, including Volkswagen and steelmaker Saarstahl, are already suffering from disruptions to DB, which supplies most of the transportation of iron ore, coking coal and steel sheets, the Financial Times (FT) said, citing sources. According to the interlocutors of the newspaper, the reason for this situation is large-scale engineering work in the modernization of railways, as well as a shortage of drivers and rolling stock. Against this background, DB gives priority to passenger trains in the schedule, which exacerbates the situation in cargo transportation.
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