Hapag-Lloyd Acquires 25% Stake in Maersk’s Maasvlakte II Terminal in Rotterdam

German container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has completed its acquisition of a 25% stake in APM Terminals Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam, strengthening its ties with Maersk at one of Europe’s most advanced container terminals.

The transaction, announced Friday, follows unconditional approval from antitrust authorities and gives Hapag-Lloyd long-term access to container handling capacity at the automated facility. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Maersk-owned APM Terminals retains a 75% stake and operational control of the facility, which serves as a key European hub for the Gemini Cooperation, the vessel-sharing partnership between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd launched in February 2025.

The acquisition, first announced in August, comes as the terminal undergoes a major expansion aimed at increasing annual handling capacity to approximately 5.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

“We are very pleased to have completed this transaction and become a shareholder in Maasvlakte II,” said Dheeraj Bhatia, Hapag-Lloyd’s chief terminal and infrastructure officer and CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals.

“Together with APM Terminals, we look forward to supporting the terminal’s continued growth and development, creating long-term value for our customers and further strengthening Rotterdam’s role as a major European gateway.”

The Maasvlakte II terminal, which began operations in 2015, is among the world’s most automated container facilities. Its ongoing expansion includes an additional 1,000 meters of deep-sea quay, doubling its total berth length to 2,000 meters, along with expanded yard capacity, four additional rail tracks and further automated equipment.

As gCaptain reported in April 2023, the expansion project involves developing another 47.5 hectares of terminal space to accommodate growing container traffic through Europe’s largest port.

The investment also advances Hapag-Lloyd’s broader strategy of expanding its terminal business through Hanseatic Global Terminals, established in 2023. The division currently holds equity stakes in 24 marine terminals worldwide and aims to grow its portfolio to approximately 30 investments by 2030.

For Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, the deal further aligns their terminal interests at a major gateway for the Gemini network, which is designed around a hub-and-spoke operating model intended to improve schedule reliability.

Harold Kunst, managing director of APM Terminals Maasvlakte II, said Hapag-Lloyd’s participation would support the terminal’s expansion while maintaining its focus on serving all customers.

“Hapag-Lloyd’s participation as a shareholder supports the terminal’s long-term growth and our ongoing expansion, while our focus remains unchanged: operating safely and reliably for all our customers and delivering the additional capacity and performance they need,” Kunst said.

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