Prinses Amaliahaven_Topview Maersks Maasvlakte II expansion Credit Port of Rotterdam
Credit Port of Rotterdam

APM Terminals is to expand its Maasvlakte II facility at Rotterdam Port to offer another 1,000m of quay wall as well as cross-dock and cold store facilities.

The Danish terminal operator signed an agreement on Friday to expand its Maasvlakte II fully automated terminal and give cargo owners options according to Maersk Line.

Ahmed Hassan, senior VP for asset strategy for Maersk Line, told The Loadstar: “The new terminal will provide our customers with the option and flexibility of choosing whether they would like to take delivery of their container, or if they would like us to bring it to a warehouse or a crossdock; or if it is perishable, we can deliver to the cold store.”

Mr Hassan said that the supply chain discussions have become more common at boardroom levels following the major disruptions seen over the past few years, including the Ukraine war, he said shippers are looking for greater resilience in the supply chain with more visibility, with “optionality”.

Igor van den Essen, APMT regional director for Africa and Europe, added: “The adjacent coldstore reduces transit time from discharge or loading from or to the vessel, but it also has a big impact on sustainability, doing justice to our net zero terminal.”

APMT opened its first fully automated terminal at Maasvlakte II in 2015, and the new development will see the 47.5ha site operational by 2026, doubling capacity, adding 2m teu. The crossdock and coldstore will open for business next year.

Some 16ha of the site will be operated by AP Møller Maersk subsidiary Star Containers Services as an empty depot.

According to Mr van den Essen, the expansion of the terminal and automation, while doubling capacity, will not mean any redundancies, instead the current 550 staff will operate both terminal facilities.

“We will create sustainable employment for Rotterdam and it will be better employment, because clearly with an automated terminal we need people have the right education, so will be investing in their development.”

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