German infrastructure manager DB Networks and Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) began work in 2014 on the joint project, which included repositioning signals and level crossing circuits to accommodate longer trains. The Hamburg Railway Inspectorate and the Federal Railway Authority (EBA) have now completed safety certification, enabling the operation of longer trains to begin.
DB Networks says the project, which completes the 835m corridor between the port and Scandinavia, will enable intermodal trains to carry up to 15 additional containers.
A project to upgrade the 210km line from Maschen yard near Hamburg to the German-Danish border at Padborg was completed in December 2012, increasing train capacity by 25% and improving rolling stock utilisation by 22%.
