NiKRASA – making non-craneable semi-trailers craneable

In order to use semi-trailers in combined transport (CT), they must be ‘craneable’ – that is, it must be possible to load them by crane on to a train at the departure terminal and unload them at the destination terminal. In Germany, however, more than 85% of all semi-trailers are currently not craneable – this means that around 300,000 semi-trailers are not suitable for combined transport. Across the entire EU, there are more than 800,000 semi-trailers on the roads – and only on the roads – that are non-craneable.

As early as 2013, bayernhafen recognised the important role craneable semi-trailers play in achieving the modal shift from road to rail. As a result, it initiated the development of the NiKRASA* system, with the aim of making non-craneable semi-trailers craneable. From the very first day, NiKRASA was a system developed by the market for the market. bayernhafen brought on board a number of key partners to develop the new loading system, chief among them being the European rail freight operator, TX Logistik. The innovative loading system was a key factor in encouraging other companies to invest in their own solutions for making semi-trailers craneable.

In the meantime, under the marketing prowess of TX Logistik, NiKRASA has become established on the market as a tried-and-trusted system. In early 2021, bayernhafen transferred all rights in the innovative loading system to TX Logistik. “Our goal at the time was to develop a market-ready system for making semi-trailers craneable,” says bayernhafen’s Chief Executive Officer, Joachim Zimmermann. “We achieved this goal. We launched the NiKRASA project, found the right partners and initiated the development and marketing of the system.”

Find out more about this innovative loading system for non-craneable semi-trailers:

https://www.txlogistik.eu/en/services/nikrasa/

* The name NiKRASA comes from Nicht-Kranbare Sattel-Auflieger, German for ‘non-craneable semi-trailers.’