Duisburger Hafen AG (duisport) and COSCO Shipping Logistics came to an agreement on constructing the largest container terminal in the European hinterland, beginning with duisport withdrawing a coal island and build a trimodal container terminal in its place, called the ‘Duisberg Gateway Terminal’.
Namely, the terminal will play a crucial role in connecting European and Chinese trade and be a part of Beijing’s New Silk Road. The project is also a response to the unprecedented decline of coal trade, as a result of the energy transformation.
For the time being, 30% of all rail-based trade between China and Europe runs through the Port of Duisburg; The terminal will boost the Port’s capacities for trade with the Chinese market.
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The terminal will consist of 220,000 square metres and additional 20,000 square metres for warehouses. Moreover, the new project will include six gantry crane systems, 12 block train platforms with a track length of 730 meters each, 5 loading areas and 3 berths for inland vessels, as well as a container storage area of 60,000 square meters will ensure rapid container handling in two construction stages.
The investment of the project will cost 100 million euros and will begin operations in 2022.
Moreover, as the Chinese trains are a cost-effective mean of transport, the Duisburg Gateway Terminal will also boost the CO2 balance in NRW and Germany. The savings potential is estimated at over 60 million tonnes per year.
duisport’s Chief Executive Officer Erich Staake commented
We are reacting to the changing market and are building Europe’s largest container terminal in the hinterland on the coal island. In this way, we are consolidating our leading position in Chinese trade, creating jobs, and strengthening NRW as the most important logistics location in Europe.
