Cargo sous terrain: Ambitious logistics project on the brink of collapse
The company behind the project, which aimed to move freight transportation between the cities into underground tubes, is cutting jobs and complaining about a lack of political support.
Cargo sous Terrain, a logistics project focusing on underground freight transportation, is reducing its workforce. In a press release entitled "Cargo sous terrain is positioning itself for the future", the company announces an "adjustment to the current framework conditions". These include cost reductions and staff cuts. The feasibility of the innovative logistics concept is not the issue, writes CST: proof has been provided that the "envisaged sustainable and environmentally friendly underground logistics system with fine distribution in the city is technologically and structurally feasible". The company refers to the independent review of the project carried out in the spring of this year. However, the management and the Board of Directors recognized - also in the spring - "that the current legal framework conditions do not reliably secure private financing for the construction phase of CST." Implementation would require close cooperation with the federal government, cantons and cities. "As these conditions are currently lacking, implementation is not economically viable at the present time." CST will now focus on offering the knowledge it has acquired nationally and internationally for solutions "that are in immediate demand". According to Chairman of the Board of Directors Marco Rosso, there are not enough funds to pursue the large-scale solution for Swiss cities that has been pursued to date.
Just under a year ago, CST announced the appointment of Christian Späth as its new CEO (IB reported). However, the city of Zurich had previously spoken out against the creation of logistics hubs as part of the tunnel concept. The first underground transport tube was to be built between Härkingen and Zurich. Test bores for this were carried out in 2023.
