APM Terminals, a leading container terminal operator that is part of A.P. Moller - Maersk, has announced the expansion of its Maasvlakte II terminal in Rotterdam.
Approximately 47.5 hectares of land and 1,000 metres of deep-sea quay will be included in the new project. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is currently constructing new quay walls that are expected to be completed by mid-2024.
Once complete, the expansion will increase the terminal's capacity by approximately 2 million TEU (the standard size for containers), with the new section slated to be operational in the second half of 2026.
Maasvlakte II started operations in 2015 as a fully automated facility with zero carbon emissions. The newly expanded section of the terminal will also operate with net-zero emissions and will be fully automated and prepared for shore power installation.
Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority: “We are very pleased with APM Terminals’ decision to expand the terminal and to choose Rotterdam as the hub for its Western European operations. This additional terminal capacity is much needed to continue handling the increasing container volumes in the coming years in an efficient and sustainable way.”
Keith Svendsen, CEO of APM Terminals, commented: “Our decision to invest further and expand in Maasvlakte II is a confirmation of Rotterdam’s importance for global supply chains and for our global network. We look forward to this important project and the opportunities it will unlock.”
In addition to the expansion of the terminal, A.P. Moller - Maersk has already leased 18.5 hectares of land in the same area for the development of cross-dock and cold store facilities, which are expected to open in 2024.
These facilities will provide "on-dock" services for Maersk, one of the terminal's primary shipping-line customers. The expansion will also include the construction of an empty depot of around 16 hectares for Star Container Services, a subsidiary of A.P. Moller - Maersk – in the area immediately alongside APM Terminals Maasvlakte II.
With the announcement of the Maasvlakte II expansion, all the remaining vacant sites for APM Terminals in the Amaliahaven area of the port have now been leased for expansion projects.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority's main goal is to strengthen the competitive position of the port of Rotterdam as a logistics hub and a world-class industrial complex.
The Port Authority is committed to accelerating sustainability in the port and is also partnering in the digitalisation of the port and logistics chains.
The Port Authority's primary tasks are to sustainably develop, manage and operate the port, ensure smooth and safe handling of shipping, and support the future resilience of the port of Rotterdam.
Additional information about the Port of Rotterdam at CruiseMapper