Norddeutsche Wasserweg Logistik GmbH (NWL) and Deutsche Binnenreederei GmbH (DBR) Hamburg have officially announced that they will combine their operations closely in their container business. The two companies, which have already been successfully working together on a contract basis, underlined their long-term collaboration by taking this step on 1 January 2024 and are looking to form an even closer strategic partnership as Rhenus Partnership Hanse.
NWL, a market leader in transporting containers by inland waterway vessels in Bremen and Bremerhaven, and DBR Hamburg, a specialist for transporting goods on inland waterways, have already been working together as part of the Rhenus Group on a contract basis for many years. Their cooperation in the past has been very successful, so that it was now a logical step for both sides to formalise their partnership in the context of container handling and together use the Rhenus Partnership Hanse business name in this field. There are no changes to the existing employment relationships for the employees of the two companies or their assignment to business sites.
Customer services from one source
NWL has mainly used shipping services provided by owner/operators in the past. Thanks to the partnership with DBR Hamburg in the container segment, Rhenus Partnership Hanse will now achieve greater use of the fleet and more flexible load factors. This will contribute to synergies and help increase operational efficiency levels. By sharing their expertise, NWL and DBR are pooling their skills and therefore creating a solid basis for handling projects together in future.
“We’re delighted by this milestone in our cooperation and we’re looking forward to our future together. What had belonged together for a long time is also finally flowing together in an official way and we’ll be offering first-class services from one source from now on,” says Tim Böttcher, a Managing Director of NWL Norddeutsche Wasserweg Logistik GmbH. René Oloff, who is also a Managing Director at NWL Norddeutsche Wasserweg Logistik GmbH, adds, “Rapid transhipment times and efficient processes are crucial for smooth container handling operations. Our sector is also subject to constant changes. Thanks to our partnership, we can make even better use of our individual strengths in order to tackle the changes in a flexible way. We complement each other perfectly.”
