Haeger and Schmidt Logistics

What Haeger and Schmidt Logistics does

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL) is a Duisburg-headquartered European logistics services provider founded in 1887 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Austrian Felbermayr Holding GmbH since 2013. It runs trimodal transport — inland waterway, rail and road — across 12 owned European locations with a fleet of more than 50 vessels and roughly 250 employees, generating a disclosed EUR 250 million in annual turnover. Service lines span Inland Navigation, Intermodal, Port Logistics, Projects (heavy lift and project cargo), Shipping & Forwarding, Short Sea and Trucking, plus bespoke Individual Solutions. Operational footprint includes trimodal terminals in Duisburg and Kehl (50,000 sqm / 1,000m quay / 1,700m rail), the heavy-lift terminal at Krefeld, and through subsidiaries/joint ventures the Churchill Dock breakbulk terminal in Antwerp (~100,000 m²), a Belgian ARA-port subsidiary, ETK Euro Terminal Kehl GmbH, HSW Logistics (a 2014 JV with Wilson EuroCarriers for Norway/UK short sea), PSA Breakbulk N.V. (a JV with PSA Antwerp and Felbermayr Group, operational since 2023) and a 50% stake in Rijnmond Logistics Beheer BV acquired in October 2023.

Technology and product surface: HSL operates a modern Transport Management System with EDI interfaces for customer system integration. It has productized several proprietary digital tools — the AI-powered Sales Assistant that reads inbound customer email and generates transport proposals, RPA bots for repetitive workflows, an AI-supported disposition engine, the Lobster_data integration platform with roughly 500 API interfaces, the HSL Hugo ChatGPT-based front end, and customer-facing Rate Radar and Routescanner modules for intermodal rate comparison and CO2/route optimization. Owned assets include the 336-TEU THEMHOF coupled push barge (equipped with Shipping Technology AI for semi-autonomous navigation), the 300-tonne Fortitudo heavy-lift péniche specialized for the French Freycinet canal network, and the seagoing H&S Bravery. Certifiability is broadly enterprise-grade: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, AEO Full, GMP+ B4, ISPS, and Entsorgungsfachbetrieb waste-management certification.

Business model and customers: revenue is generated primarily through B2B enterprise contracts with project, volume and charter pricing that is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customers are industrial enterprises across steel (thyssenkrupp Rasselstein since 2000, 250,000 containers handled), chemicals (Ineos ethylene cracker gigaproject, ~30 RoRo/heavy-lift vessels handled at Churchill Dock through 2025), rail/infrastructure (Irish Rail sleeper renewal, 65,000 sleepers in eight shiploads), energy/manufacturing (DAHER 130-tonne transformer to Zagreb via 143 locks), beverage/construction and OEM relocations. Go-to-market blends direct enterprise field sales, channel partnerships with the Container Alliance Niederrhein and joint ventures, event presence at Breakbulk Europe, and digital marketing via the HSL-Insights blog, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Long-term charters with Delfia Inland Shipping, partnerships with Klumpp + Müller, Volv

Name

Haeger and Schmidt Logistics

Legal name

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics GmbH

Website

https://haegerundschmidt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics is a Duisburg-headquartered European trimodal logistics provider (inland waterway, rail, road) founded in 1887, operating 12 locations and 50+ vessels, serving industrial customers with project cargo, container, short sea, and forwarding services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Inland Water Freight Transportation (483211), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Inland Water Transportation (4832)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Water Transportation (4400), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Cargo Logistics & Transport Management (TLADAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Plants & Process Equipment (EPC/Turnkey Projects) (TLACAIAA), Breakbulk, Ro-Ro & Chartering (Heavy-Lift Vessels, Barges, Specialized Aircraft) (TLAIAKAC), Heavy Haul / Oversize / Project Cargo Brokerage (TLADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Inland waterway transport
• Multimodal freight forwarding
• Heavy lift project cargo
• Container terminal operations
• Short sea shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Duisburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight and Logistics Services: Core revenue from multimodal transport services including inland navigation, intermodal, project cargo, breakbulk, short sea, and trucking. Revenue generated through freight charges based on cargo type, volume, distance, and transport mode.
2. Project Logistics: Specialized heavy-lift and project cargo transport services including planning, realization, and monitoring of multimodal transports on European inland waterways.
3. Container Handling and Terminal Operations: Container logistics services including stacking, stripping, storage, and handling at terminals. EDI interfaces for automated document exchange.
4. Shipping & Forwarding: Door-to-door logistics organizing and coordinating transport supply chains including customs clearance, fiscal representation, and documentation.
5. Vessel Charter Services: Chartering of owned and third-party vessels for cargo transport. Long-term charter agreements with partners like Delfia Inland Shipping.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics is a European multimodal logistics services provider offering trimodal transport (inland waterway, rail, road) including inland navigation with 50+ vessels, intermodal container services, port and terminal logistics, project cargo and heavy-lift transport, shipping & forwarding, short sea shipping, and trucking. The company serves industrial and enterprise customers across Europe through 12 owned locations with approximately 8.5 million tons and 350,000 TEU annual throughput.

Product overview

Haeger & Schmidt Logistics operates as a comprehensive logistics service provider offering trimodal transport solutions (inland waterway, rail, truck) across Europe. The core portfolio spans seven main service lines: Inland Navigation (50+ vessels for dry goods), Intermodal (container liner services including Rate Radar and Routescanner tools), Port Logistics, Projects (heavy-lift multimodal), Shipping & Forwarding, Short Sea (via subsidiary HSW Logistics), Trucking, and Individual Solutions. The company maintains strategic subsidiaries including HSW Logistics (short sea to Norway/UK), ETK Euro Terminal Kehl (trimodal hub to Rotterdam/Antwerp), and Haeger & Schmidt Logistics Belgium (ARA port operations). Owned assets include the AI-equipped THEMHOF push barge (336 TEU) and Fortitudo heavy-lift barge (300t). The company serves customers through 12 European locations and a fleet combining owned, chartered, and partner vessels totaling over 50 units.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inland Navigation Transport of dry goods using over 50 universally deployable inland waterway vessels, offering environmentally friendly, resource-conserving, and cost-effective logistics across European rivers.
• Intermodal Transport

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced external electricity consumption by approximately 45% in first year via 100 kWp photovoltaic system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wilson EuroCarriers AScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for HSW Logistics GmbH (established 2014) combining Short Sea division of Haeger & Schmidt with German branch of Norwegian Wilson Group. Provides TC fleet and expertise for short sea transports.
• Delfia Inland ShippingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term charter agreement for three inland container vessels (MS Alfa Grande 398 TEU, MS Alfa Bianco 336 TEU, MS Alfa Menta 336 TEU) operating in Container Alliance Niederrhein network.
• PSA AntwerpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for PSA Breakbulk N.V. at Churchill Dock, Antwerp. ~100,000 m2 space for project cargo handling, storage, and Project Cargo Ecosystem services.
• Shipping TechnologymajorTechnology or IntegrationAI technology partner equipping THEMHOF push barge with artificial intelligence for smart ship data usage, route optimization, and foundation for future semi-autonomous inland vessel driving.
• European Gateway Services (EGS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Container Alliance Niederrhein (CAN) since 2009. Paul Zoeter signed contract renewal for operational cooperation connecting terminals with Antwerp and Rotterdam seaports.
• Contargo Waterway Logistics BVmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in Container Alliance Niederrhein (CAN) since 1992. Marcel Hulsker cooperation. Operates Contargo Neuss, Emmelsum, and Emmerich terminals connected to seaports.
• Lobster_datamajorTechnology or IntegrationData integration platform connecting logistics solutions via API interfaces. ~500 interfaces established for customer connections and data collection, processing, distribution.
• Volvo TrucksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for electric truck testing at Rheinhafen Andernach. Pioneer in electric commercial vehicles providing test vehicle for sustainable container transport trials.
• Jungbluth NutzfahrzeugeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolvo Trucks dealer providing electric semi-truck for trial operation testing suitability for pre/post-haulage at Andernach container terminal.
• Petra Risser TransporteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperienced forwarding company and partner in container transport providing expertise in regional freight transport for electric truck testing collaboration.
• Stadtwerke AndernachmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort operator for Rheinhafen Andernach. Partnership since 2000 for trimodal KLV terminal CSA Andernach. Responsible for charging infrastructure and social spaces for e-truck operations.
• Becker & Co.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partnership in thyssenkrupp Rasselstein logistics collaboration at CSA Andernach terminal.
• Klumpp + MüllermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner at ETK Euro Terminal Kehl providing additional container logistics services, local know-how, and storage facilities.
• Kaiser ProjectsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch logistics company from Rotterdam commissioning pre-carriage of bottling plant equipment from Paderborn to Antwerp seaport.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Danser Group: Dutch inland shipping and dry-bulk transport operator with deep Rhine/Western Europe exposure. Directly comparable on inland waterway dry-goods and container liner operations.
• Ahlers: Belgian project-cargo, breakbulk, and logistics provider with European inland waterway capability and Antwerp port roots. Directly comparable to HSL on heavy-lift/project cargo and ARA port operations.
• Rhenus Logistics: European multimodal logistics provider with deep inland waterway, road, rail, and warehousing capabilities. Closest European peer to HSL in combining project logistics, contract logistics, and inland shipping.
• Gruber Logistics: Italian-headquartered project cargo and heavy-lift specialist with European inland waterway capabilities. Directly comparable on heavy-lift, oversized cargo, and project-forwarding services.
• Van der Vlist: Dutch heavy-haul and project cargo forwarder with a strong track record moving oversized/overweight industrial cargo across Europe. Comparable specialist focus on outsize transport and project execution.
• Contargo Waterway Logistics: Container inland-shipping specialist operating a Rhine/ARA terminal network (Neuss, Emmelsum, Emmerich). Direct competitor in Rhine container liner services and CAN partner; comparable trimodal container operations and modal mix.

Broad incumbents

• Imperial Logistics: Large diversified African-headquartered logistics group with European freight forwarding and contract logistics. Overlaps HSL's project/freight forwarding segments but operates a much wider portfolio.
• HHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik): Major Hamburg-based port and intermodal logistics operator. Overlaps with HSL on container handling, intermodal, and port-logistics services at a larger, listed platform.
• Kuehne + Nagel: Global freight forwarding and contract logistics leader with significant European project-cargo capability. Competes for the same industrial forwarding RFPs as HSL at much greater scale.

Others

• Wilson EuroCarriers AS: Norwegian short-sea and logistics group, HSL's JV partner in HSW Logistics. Operates a similar European short-sea network and is therefore a structural partner/peer rather than a head-on competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@haegerschmidtlogisticsgmbh3419
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haeger&schmidtlogistics
• Instagraminstagram.com/hslogistics/?hl=de

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haeger and Schmidt Logistics