Innofreight’s CemTainer is now being used in the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel, one of Europe’s most significant infrastructure projects. When combined with the 2×45 ft InnoWaggon, this specialized intermodal container enables the transport of binding agents and is perfectly suited to the challenging geographical conditions.

At the Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy, the world’s longest underground railway connection, spanning 64 kilometers, is under construction. A billion-euro project of the century that, until its planned completion in 2032, requires not only the highest level of logistical precision but also the use of high-performance technologies and innovative transport solutions.

This now includes the CemTainer from Innofreight, which transports binding agents from Rohrdorfer in Gmunden to Steinach am Brenner, covering nearly 300 kilometers by rail and replacing purely truck-based transport. Designed for intermodal transport, the 22.5-foot-long special container—loaded with 30 tons of binding agent each—fully demonstrates its strengths in construction phase H53.

Delivery to the 2×45-foot InnoWaggon is handled by the Rail Cargo Group, after which the CemTainer is transferred directly to a truck at the spur track. The maneuverably designed container covers the last kilometer to the mixing plant by truck, where it is unloaded using compressed air and tilting—and then returns to the terminal. The intermodal concept enables rapid handling via gantry crane without blocking the limited storage space on site.

The CemTainer will realize its full potential in the future through block train operations: Every week, 40 containers carrying a total of 1,200 tons of binding agent arrive at the Brenner and contribute significantly to the interior construction of the two tunnel tubes. In total, by the end of this construction phase in 2029, around 80,000 tons of binding agent are expected to arrive at the Brenner using the CemTainer system.