APM Terminals, a container terminal operator and a part of A.P. Moller – Maersk, has unveiled plans to expand its Maasvlakte II terminal in Rotterdam. The project will span over an area of approximately 47.5 hectares, including 1,000 meters of deep-sea quay. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is currently constructing the new quay walls, which are expected to be completed by mid-2024. The expansion is set to increase the terminal’s capacity by approximately 2 million TEU and is expected to be operational in the second half of 2026.
APM Terminals launched the Maasvlakte II terminal in 2015 as a fully automated facility with zero carbon emissions. The new 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, expressed his satisfaction with APM Terminals’ decision to expand the terminal, stating that the additional capacity is crucial to handling the growing container volumes efficiently and sustainably in the coming years.
Keith Svendsen, CEO of APM Terminals, noted that the decision to invest further in Maasvlakte II is a testament to Rotterdam’s importance for global supply chains and APM’s global network. The expansion will open up new opportunities for the company.
Last year, A.P. Moller – Maersk leased 18.5 hectares of land in the same area for the development of cross-dock and cold store facilities, which are set to open in 2024. The facilities will provide “on-dock” services for Maersk, one of the terminal’s primary shipping-line customers.
Apart from the new terminal site, an empty depot of approximately 16 hectares will also be constructed for Star Container Services, a subsidiary of A.P. Moller – Maersk, immediately adjacent to APM Terminals Maasvlakte II.
With the announcement of the expansion at Maasvlakte II, all remaining vacant sites for APM Terminals in the Amaliahaven area of the port have now been leased for expansion projects.
