The German port system has one feature that has received little attention until now. About fifty of its seventy river ports own a rail subsidiary. In many cases these are over a hundred years old, were for a long time only allowed to operate within the area managed by the port administration. The liberalization of the sector which began in 1994 and ended in 2004 when access to the railway infrastructure in inland ports was opened up to third parties, raises quite different development prospects. The port authorities have now realized the potential the expertise of the railway companies holds for diversifying and integrating their logistical activities as well as developing regional or even national transport services.
