A rail freight strike in Germany this week will cost the domestic steel sector “… millions”, the German steel producers’ federation WV Stahl tells Kallanish.

"200,000 tonnes of raw materials and steel are transported daily on the […rail] network," says Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, president of the German Steel Federation, in Dusseldorf. About 50% of [… steel and raw materials] volumes are transported by rail, the federation confirms.

“A 3-day strike in rail freight transport, presents steel companies with huge problems. The German rail system transports about 65 million tonnes per year […of material] for the steel industry in Germany", says Hans-Joachim Welsch, chairman of the WV Stahl transport committee.

A short-term shift to other modes of transport is possible but only a very limited solution. "So the rail strike is of greatest concern. It causes considerable economic damage and [...costs] millions of dollars”, says Welsch.

The strike by freight train drivers began on 21 April at 1500 hours and is planned to last until 24 April at 0700 hours. Kallanish learns.