Freight goes back across canal from now on

Old times revived in new way in Amsterdam

City Barging's electric push boat provides a serene spectacle in Amsterdam's city center. Not only the Amsterdammer, but also the tourist enjoys the activity that takes place on the water. Cargo is transported, silently and completely emission-free, to the heart of the city. Just like in the old days, when the train barge had to provide transportation. Old times revive in a new way. City Barging is a green company, originally founded by the Rutte Group. TBI Infra and Aannemingsmaatschappij H. van Steenwijk took a strategic stake in City Barging at the end of 2021. We speak with Sven Hiskemuller van der Zijden, director and co-owner of the Rutte Group and Robert Jan Feijen, director TBI Infra/Mobilis.

No emissions, no nuisance, no damage

"Amsterdam was built for what we do." A statement from Sven and quite true. "This kind of transport by water was there before the car was invented. Transporting freight by water is a very logical way of transportation. It was then, it is now and it is the most desirable today." City Barging operates electric boats that push or pull cargo behind them. Cargo that otherwise would have had to be transported by trucks through the narrow, congested streets along the canals. With the risk of damage to buildings, accidents with pedestrians and cyclists, with a hefty burden on the old quay walls and with the necessary emissions and noise pollution. How different it is to see City Barging's boats pass by in silence.

Encouraging clients to work sustainably

Robert Jan: "City Barging fits completely within our vision of emission-free construction. That's why we joined this great initiative together with Van Steenwijk. We want to encourage clients in Amsterdam to work sustainably. Rutte Groep, Van Steenwijk and Mobilis are hard at work renovating the city. We are keeping the city alive and City Barging contributes substantially to that. There is both a commercial and a social benefit to it: clients often put in their call for tenders that a project must be built sustainably and be sustainable in the operation phase. With City Barging we actively help to work as sustainably as possible in the realization phase as well. We therefore want to encourage clients to work sustainably. Logistically, we have it so well organized that we do not even have to compete with road freight, in the inner city. In fact, we are preferable on all fronts."

"Anyone who has work near or on the water, or wants to use water transport can hire us," Sven says. "We like to work for third parties. Our fleet currently consists of two electric pushboats that are in full operation, there are two under construction, then we have another hybrid boat and we have an electric crane ship, whose crane also works electrically, of course." 

Delivery can be made to the hubs

All that cargo being transported further along the canals will still have to be unloaded somewhere first. "For that purpose, hubs have been set up that are easily accessible. There is a large hub in the Dirk Metselaarhaven and there are two hubs near the city center, the Dijksgracht and the Nieuwe Houthavens. In addition, we have a small hub near the food center. The great thing is that companies who want freight transported to the center on a regular basis can rent their own hub at one of our sites How nice do you want it in terms of logistics? Clients are then not only doing something sustainable, but are saving an enormous amount of time by avoiding all the traffic chaos in the busy city center," Sven said. The berths are also immediately the loading docks for City Barging's boats.

Logistics that are getting wider

"City Barging now mainly transports construction freight and waste. However, when you start thinking about what else you can transport by water, the possibilities seem endless," Robert Jan outlines. "Anything that stays within the dimensions of our boats can be transported by water. For example, you could think of delivering goods to businesses and restaurants along the canals. Instead of a truck blocking the street, we could deliver from the water. The sky is the limit. You will see that our commitment will become broader and broader in the coming years."

Doesn't that bring with it a certain responsibility, when it's getting busier and busier on the water with electric cargo boats? Robert Jan: "Of course, and we anticipate that. Look at houseboats ... we are figuratively sailing 'through someone's backyard.' It will be a matter of properly coordinating tourist and business transportation. The positive impact City Barging has on the inner city means that we all have to put our shoulders to the wheel. That's why we work completely transparently. We are convinced that more cities with canals will follow, think Leiden or Utrecht. This is the beginning of much more."