First test transport in DryTainers

In cooperation between the participating companies, DB Cargo, Innofreight and ArcelorMittal, the first test transport in a superstructures called DryTainer took place at the end of February 2022. The first of the projected variants, XM, was used for this purpose, together with the DryTainer prototype, which was on display at transport logistic 2023. The DryTainer XM has a length of 13' (3.96 m), width and height of 2.9 m, volume of 22 m³, tare weight of 3.9 t and maximum payload of 35.1 t.

The XM version was developed with the aim of transporting directly reduced iron (DRI) and this was therefore also the case for the first test transport, which took place in two DryTainers loaded on a 2x 40 ft InnoWaggon from Hamburg to Ziltendorf. In the former, ArcelorMittal has a plant where it produces DRI using natural gas. The main objective was to analyse the unloading options at the ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt plant. However, regular shipments are not expected to start until some time in the future, estimated at 2026.

The projected portfolio of DryTainers then includes larger XL (15', 26 m³, tare weight 3.0 t) and XXL (15', 32 m³, 3.3 t) versions, always with a primary purpose for a specific example of commodity according to metric weight and therefore optimum volume of the superstructure. DryTainer XM when loaded in sets of four on a 2 x 30' InnoWaggon is tailored for directly reduced iron, DryTainer XM when loaded in sets of six on a 2 x 40' InnoWaggon for sprinkling salt or clinker, DryTainer XL for lithium ore or quicklime and DryTainer XXL for wood pellets or cereals (XL and XXL in sets of six on a 2 x 45' InnoWaggon).