Cement & Building Materials Intermodal Transport in Europe
Bagged Cement & Palletised Goods
We carry bagged cement and palletised building materials in our cranable curtain-sided trailers between Germany, Italy, the Baltic States and Scandinavia. Heavy pallets travel the long distance by rail or ferry and reach merchants, depots and sites by truck — loaded once at the plant.
cranable curtain-sider
instead of 40t by road
forklift from both sides
Why Intermodal for Cement and Building Materials
- Heavy cargo where cost per tonne decides. Cement and many building materials reach the weight limit before the trailer is full. Combined transport allows 44 t gross instead of 40 t by road, with up to 28 t of cargo per trailer — and the longer the route, the lower the cost per tonne.
- One trailer from plant to merchant. Pallets are not restacked at the terminals; the crane lifts the whole trailer by its four corner points.
- Transport emissions on record. Construction clients increasingly ask for the transport emissions of the materials they buy. With every quote we add a CO₂ estimate for your lane.
How It Works with Cranable Trailers
Every shipment runs in our own cranable curtain-sided trailers — 13.6 m long, with a 2.65 m side opening for forklift loading from both sides and the securing equipment on board: straps, edge protectors, anti-slip mats, distancing boards and pillows.
- Loading at the plant. Pallets of bagged cement, blocks, tiles or boards are loaded from the side by forklift and spread evenly over the trailer floor.
- Truck to the terminal. A truck takes the loaded trailer to the intermodal terminal.
- Crane lift. A gantry crane or reach stacker lifts the whole trailer by its four corner points onto a rail wagon or a RoRo ferry deck. The cargo itself is not touched or re-secured.
- Main leg by rail or sea. The long haul runs by rail or RoRo ferry, connected through our hub in Lübeck.
- Destination terminal. The trailer is lifted off and handed over to a local truck.
- Delivery. A local truck delivers to the builders’ merchant, depot or site. Pallets are unloaded from the side by forklift, so the delivery point needs one.
What to Know When Shipping Cement and Building Materials
- Moisture is the main risk for cement. Bagged cement must stay dry. Keep pallets stretch-wrapped or hooded and load onto a clean, dry floor; the curtains keep the rain out on the way.
- Spread the weight. Heavy pallets should be spread along the floor, not concentrated in one area. Send us pallet weights and dimensions and we will plan the loading with you.
- Sound pallets, stable units. Broken or weak pallets can collapse under crane lifts, rail shunting and ferry motion. Use pallets in good condition and wrap units so they hold together.
- Mix heavy and light. Cement and tiles fill the weight, insulation and boards fill the volume. A mixed load can use both — plan it with us.
- Packaged goods only. Our curtain-sided trailers carry bagged and palletised products. Bulk cement in powder form needs silo equipment and is not part of this service.
Corridors We Run
Building materials move on our lanes between Germany, Italy, the Baltic States and Scandinavia, for example:
- Italy ⇄ Germany — road and rail via our Lübeck hub
- Baltics ⇄ Italy — the Baltic States to Northern Italy via Lübeck
- Italy ⇄ Norway — Northern Italy to Oslo and Norway, road only at both ends
All our lanes and how they connect: combined transport in Europe.
CO₂
Per tonne of cargo, our intermodal lanes emit up to 66% less CO₂e than the same shipment by road — well-to-wheel, calculated with EcoTransIT World (ISO 14083 / GLEC methodology), with first and last mile by truck included. The saving differs by lane; ferry legs reduce it. Assumptions and sources: methodology. For heavy, low-value materials the transport leg is a visible part of the footprint, and per-tonne figures make it comparable across suppliers.
Compare your own volumes: CO₂ calculator — intermodal vs road
FAQ: Cement & Building Materials
Do you transport bulk cement?
No. Our curtain-sided trailers carry packaged goods — bagged cement and palletised building materials. Bulk cement in powder form needs silo equipment.
How much cement fits in one trailer?
Up to 28 t of cargo per cranable trailer. In combined transport the gross weight may be 44 t instead of 40 t by road. With cement the limit is weight, so the pallets have to be spread over the floor.
Can you deliver directly to a construction site?
The last mile is by truck to the address you give us, including sites, as long as the truck can reach the unloading point and a forklift is available there to unload from the side.
How is the cement protected from rain?
The pallets stay in the closed curtain-sided trailer from loading to delivery and are not unloaded at the terminals. Keep them wrapped or hooded and load onto a dry floor.
Other industries: steel and metal products · paper rolls and pulp · timber and sawn lumber.
Moving Cement or Building Materials?
Send us your plants, delivery points, pallet weights and volumes — as a tender file or as a single request. We come back with a quote and a CO₂ estimate per lane.
Send your tender → Get a quote