German state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn achieved a near 7 percent rise in first-half operating profit as Europe's economic recovery led to logistics unit Schenker shipping more goods by air and sea. Europe's largest railway firm said earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose to 1.1 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in January through June, on revenue up 1.9 percent to 19.73 billion. Schenker, which competes with Deutsche Post's logistics business DHL, Kuehne & Nagel and Panalpina , saw the number of shipments transported by road in Europe rise 3.5 percent, while those by air and sea increased by 2.6 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively. Deutsche Bahn, which operates passenger and freight services on a 33,500 km network, said revenue at its long-distance rail passenger unit fell 120 million euros below its target, hit by disruption of service between Berlin and Hannover due to last year's floods. Chief Executive Ruediger Grube forecast group operating profit this year would be flat at 2.2 billion euros on sales of around 41 billion, against last year's 39 billion. (Reuters)