The Container Terminal Dortmund (CTD) expects to transfer 300,000 TEU this year, 5% more than the 287,000 TEU of 2010 when a growth of more than 13% was recorded. It is expected that the limit of the terminal capacity will be reached in about two years, with 190,000 movements, or around 325,000 TEU.
Expansion is in preparation and in anticipation of this, a nearby, largely paved terrain of 1.2 hectares has been acquired.
Train and inland shipping
According to CTD, this year’s growth comes from both rail and inland shipping in which CTD is boosting its regional turntable function. The terminal has been linked with the Rotterdam Maasvlakte by shuttle train since May. Kombiverkehr offers eight departures per week between Dortmund and the Delta Terminal, and six between the Euromax Terminal and Dortmund/Duisburg. Rail traffic with the nearby IKEA distribution centre is developing well. Inland shipping is picking up again. The shortage of empty containers is stimulating their transport by ship from Dortmund to Duisburg.
Extreme rail connection
Container shuttles have been running between Dortmund and the IKEA distribution centre for two years now. This pays off, despite the extremely short distance of only 3.5 kilometres. In comparison: the Delta peninsula on the Maasvlakte is approximately the same length! The train saves CTD and IKEA around 20,000 truck trips per year. Terminal management registers continuing interest in this kind of local/regional rail connection.
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Source: portofrotterdam, July 29, 2011;