Volvo Cars benefits from rail investment in Ghent

Infrabel has put in six 750-metre-long tracks into the port of Ghent, part of North Sea Port, meaning longer freight trains operated by Lineas can run into the port to move greater volumes of finished vehicles and containerised parts. Volvo uses rail to move vehicles from its plant in Ghent and to move parts to and from the plant.

Volvo said that the tracks offer it the opportunity to bring logistics operations closer to the Ghent factory and will improve the efficiency and accessibility of the factory, which is located in the port complex.

In a statement on LinkedIn Volvo said the track investment fit in with its sustainability strategy. “By moving freight transport from road to rail, we take about 50 trucks off the road per trip, which is better for Ghent's mobility and the climate,” said the carmaker.

Volvo has been on a mission in the last five years to move more finished vehicles to rail as part of its aim to reduce its vehicle lifecycle carbon footprint by 40% per car between 2018 and 2025. That requires a 25% reduction in operational emissions, including from logistics and the carmaker has been moving more volumes to rail from truck, cutting CO₂. It has already cut CO₂ on routes between the Ghent plant to depots in Italy and Austria. 

In September the carmaker began production of the 800-volt Volvo ES90 luxury electric vehicle in Chengdu, China for export to European markets, beginning with Germany. Previously Volvo has used rail to transport its S90 from China by rail in containers to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge.