EUROGATE: Container Volumes Up by 7% Europe-Wide

For the first time since 2008, the EUROGATE Group last year surpassed the 14 million TEUs mark with 14.2 million standard containers (TEU) handled Europe-wide. This is an increase of 7.3 per cent over the previous year.

The growth drivers of the EUROGATE Group in 2013 were the Italian Mediterranean terminals with over 11 per cent, especially the transhipment terminals Gioia Tauro (+ 13%) and Cagliari (+ 12%). The two Atlantic terminals in Tangier (+ 84%) – which for the first time handled over one million TEUs – and in Lisbon (+16%) also recorded an exceptional rise in handling volumes.

The difficult market and industry environment is reflected in the volume trend of the German container terminals. While the EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg gained very positive momentum, increasing handling volumes by 8 per cent to just short of 2 million TEUs, the Bremerhaven location fell short of expectations with a 5 per cent decline compared to the previous year. The deep-water container terminal in Wilhelmshaven, which went into operation at the end of 2012, is taking longer than originally expected to position itself in the market. As a result of the startup difficulties, the container volume amounted to 76,000 TEUs.

Thomas Eckelmann, Chairman of the EUROGATE Group Management Board: “The very positive result for the EUROGATE Group as a whole should not blind us to the fact that the market for container transport is currently undergoing a sea change. This market has changed profoundly over the past five years. Shipping lines put their faith in just a few major consortiums, which implies both opportunities and risks for the seaports. The individual terminals are facing strong competition. Our outstanding overall result clearly shows on the other hand that the EUROGATE Group is excellently positioned to adapt to changing market conditions. We see more opportunities than risks, especially since the world’s three biggest shipping groups, Maersk Line, MSC and CMA CGM (P3), have a stake in varying constellations in some of our most strategically important terminals.”

Eurogate, February 7, 2014