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• 4 min de lectura
The operational relationship that Hapag-Lloyd and A.P. Moller – Maersk maintain through the Gemini Cooperation will take a new step on land. Hapag-Lloyd has agreed to acquire a 25% stake in APM Terminals Maasvlakte II B.V., in the port of Rotterdam, an operation with which both companies seek to support the capacity expansion and performance of a terminal that has become a relevant piece of their European network.
The agreement will allow Hapag-Lloyd to secure long-term automated container handling capacity at Maasvlakte II, while strengthening its presence in port infrastructure through Hanseatic Global Terminals (HGT), its Terminals and Infrastructure division. APM Terminals will retain operational control of the facility.
The operation takes on special relevance due to Maasvlakte II's role within Gemini, the cooperation between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk that seeks to articulate a maritime network with high levels of reliability. In this scheme, port capacity and efficiency at connection nodes are necessary elements to sustain itineraries and absorb future cargo increases.
"With the planned investment in Rotterdam, we will further improve the efficiency and reliability of our network. The terminal is a key element for the Gemini Cooperation and fits well with our strategy to build a stronger terminal portfolio in key markets," said Dheeraj Bhatia, CTIO of Hapag-Lloyd AG and CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals.
Hapag-Lloyd's entry also occurs while Maasvlakte II is undergoing an infrastructure expansion that will significantly modify its operational scale. The terminal, in operation since 2015, will incorporate an additional thousand meters of deep-water berth, thus doubling this infrastructure to a total of two thousand meters.
The project also considers increased yard capacity, four additional railway tracks, and the deployment of automated terminal tractors (ATT), along with other automated equipment. Once the new configuration is completed, Maasvlakte II will have a projected annual capacity of 5.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).
The expansion not only seeks to absorb larger volumes but also to increase the resilience of the operation and prepare the terminal for future cargo flows through Rotterdam, one of the main entry and exit points for containerized trade in Europe.
Keith Svendsen, CEO of APM Terminals, noted that Hapag-Lloyd's participation represents "a strong vote of confidence in a terminal that is fundamental to the Gemini network and to Rotterdam," while highlighting that the operation reflects the collaboration between both companies and their commitment to the long-term development of the asset.
The expansion, he explained, is being developed through the coordination of the Maasvlakte II team, the works council, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, while APM Terminals will continue as the operator of the facility.
"Our ambition is to make Maasvlakte II the best terminal in Northern Europe for every customer who calls there. That means improving safety, quality, delivery, and cost, in that order, while expanding deep-water berths and TEU capacity to support customer growth for the decades this asset will operate," Svendsen stated.
For Hapag-Lloyd, the transaction also deepens a strategy that goes beyond maritime transport. Through HGT, the shipping company has been building a portfolio of terminals and infrastructure with the aim of securing positions in strategic nodes and having greater capacity to articulate its maritime operations with land-based cargo exchange points.
In Maasvlakte II, this strategy converges with the need to secure long-term port capacity for Gemini. The combination of new berths, automation, increased operational area, and railway connections will expand container transfer capacity and reinforce Rotterdam's function within the network.
APM Terminals and Hapag-Lloyd did not disclose the financial value of the 25% stake acquisition. The operation still needs to obtain authorizations from the relevant authorities and regulatory bodies before it can be finalized.
