Rhenus Expands Area for Automobile Handling in Cuxhaven

With the expansion of an eleven-hectare area in the hinterland of the deep-sea port of Cuxhaven, the port terminal operator Rhenus Cuxport is further preparing for the increasing automobile handling. As the manufacturing market is booming, especially in Asia, Germany is increasingly transforming into an import market for finished vehicles. The multipurpose terminal in Cuxhaven has optimally adapted to this new demand, thanks in part to its location at the mouth of the Elbe River with multimodal transport connections.

(Holzwickede/Cuxhaven) Rhenus Cuxport is expanding its existing area by about one third and is opening another terminal in the rear port area. There, the infrastructure for additional import space and 4,500 parking spaces for interim storage in automobile handling is being developed on approximately eleven hectares. Due to its suitability for heavy loads, the area is also of interest to industries such as the onshore and offshore wind industry. The area is connected to the pier-adjacent terminal areas via a short transport route.

Rhenus Cuxport has proactively acquired the area and thus prepared early for a need that is becoming increasingly evident today: automobile manufacturers and OEMs in Asia are experiencing continuous growth, with China alone exporting nearly two million finished vehicles worldwide in the first half of 2023. One of the targets is Europe, which is why Germany is also transforming from an export to an import market. This results in an increasing demand for automobile handling at German and European seaports. “By strategically positioning itself for this market shift, Rhenus is giving the Cuxhaven location an increasingly significant hub function in the European port network of Rhenus due to its ideal conditions, especially for the automobile market,” explains Michael de Reese, Managing Director of Rhenus Ports. He adds: “Thanks to our favorable location between Central and Northern Europe, we can optimally meet the increasing demand and growing volumes from Asia and other markets worldwide. With the expansion in the hinterland, we are thinking strategically about the future.”

Vehicles reach and leave Cuxhaven by RoRo ship, in closed or flat-rack containers. As a multipurpose terminal, Rhenus Cuxport handles all necessary intermediate steps from unloading and loading ships to stripping containers and interim buffering for further distribution. The new compound supports this as an additional area and stands out with its location in the port hinterland with direct access to the A 27 motorway to Bremen and the B 73 federal road to Hamburg.

Fits the Growing Demand in Automobile Logistics

Following the start of construction in April, the next construction phases will involve the asphalt entry on the new area and the establishment of the superstructure. Rhenus Cuxport expects to complete the compound by the end of September. “The expansion of our area fits perfectly with the currently growing demand in the automobile logistics market. With the expanded capacities, we offer OEMs security and predictability in finished vehicle handling, providing significant advantages for imports,” says Claudius Schumacher, Managing Director at Rhenus Cuxport. In the long term, Rhenus Cuxport also plans to grow from the current six to nine berths – further strengthening its position as a central hub in Europe. For more than 25 years, the multipurpose terminal, which is predominantly part of the Rhenus Group, has been active in handling automobiles, breakbulk, heavy cargo, and containers.

Photo: © Rhenus