Europe

German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has presented the government-approved draft federal budget for 2027, which provides for a significant increase in funding for transport infrastructure. In total, approximately €170 billion is slated for sector development between 2025 and 2029. Investment in 2027 alone will amount to €33.7 billion – can increase of nearly €640 million over previously planned levels. According to the minister, the funds will be used to address a backlog of maintenance issues and to fund the construction and modernization of transport facilities.

The Ukraine Reconstruction Conference (URC 2026), dedicated to rebuilding Ukraine following Russian aggression, took place in Gdańsk on June 25–26. The event was attended by over 70 government delegations, as well as thousands of representatives from the business community, financial institutions, and international organizations. A key topic of the meeting was the development of transport and logistics as the foundation for the country’s future recovery.

DB InfraGO AG has completed a major upgrade of the railway line connecting Hagen, Wuppertal, and Cologne. As of 9:00 PM today, the route has reopened to regional, long-distance passenger, and freight trains. The project’s completion was announced at a ceremony in Leverkusen attended by DB InfraGO CEO Philipp Nagl and Oliver Krischer, the Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Chinese technology company Midea Group and international port operator Hutchison Port Holdings have signed a memorandum of understanding at the Shenzhen Port Global Supply Chain High-Quality Development Conference 2026. Over the next two years, the parties intend to deepen their strategic cooperation by pooling manufacturing, logistics, and digital resources to create a more resilient and efficient global supply chain.

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM, has announced the French group’s ambition to become the world’s second-largest container shipping line by the end of 2027, trailing only MSC. This statement coincided with the arrival in France of the first French-flagged container ship with a capacity exceeding 24,000 TEU. Through this move, the company aims to displace Maersk from the number two spot in the global rankings.

Hanseatic Global Terminals (HGT) has signed an agreement on the key terms of a deal to acquire a 20% stake in the Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH). Additionally, the operator plans to increase its stake in the TC3 container terminal at the Moroccan port of Tangier from 10% to 20%. Completion of the transaction is subject to the finalization of agreements and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.

DB Intermodal Services has completed the expansion of its facility in Ulm-Dornstadt, southern Germany, increasing its capacity for container handling and storage. Following nine months of construction, the company has commissioned a new area spanning approximately 38,000 square meters – equivalent to more than five football pitches. This additional space is designated for the storage of both loaded and empty containers, offering greater transport planning flexibility for shipping lines, freight forwarders, and industrial companies.

The French group CMA CGM has signed an agreement to acquire the logistics division FedEx Supply Chain for $1.4 billion. This deal marks a major step in the company’s expansion into logistics and will nearly triple the scale of the US operations of CEVA Logistics, CMA CGM’s logistics subsidiary. Upon completion of the transaction, the combined entity will manage a portfolio of approximately 150 warehouses and distribution centers.

Poland’s major seaports have agreed to jointly develop digital infrastructure between 2026 and 2028. The agreement between the port authorities of Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Szczecin-Świnoujście aims to boost the efficiency of logistics processes, improve customer service, and strengthen the protection of critical port infrastructure. The project will be implemented in collaboration with Polish PCS, which is developing a digital platform for data exchange among port supply chain stakeholders – including terminals, shipping companies, agents, freight forwarders, carriers, and government bodies.

Hannibal, a multimodal operator within the Contship Group, has expanded its European rail network by launching a new service connecting the RHM (Rail Hub Milano) inland terminal in Melzo, Italy, with the Europoort Rotterdam terminal in the Netherlands. This new route links one of the Port of Rotterdam’s major logistics hubs with the Italian rail hub, providing access to key transport corridors in Northern Europe.