The French CMA CGM Group is expanding its presence in European terminals to acquire a 20% stake in Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH), one of the main sea gateways in Northern Europe. The transport and logistics group, headquartered in Marseille, has signed an agreement with Eurogate, with completion expected in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.
Currently, CTH handles around 4 million TEUS per year and is considered one of the most efficient terminals in Germany. A planned western expansion project, which will add 38 hectares of yard space and 1,050 meters of new quay wall, will increase capacity to around 6 million TEUS and enable operations for next-generation container ships.
CMA CGM already calls at CTH via its flagship FAL service, which connects Asia and Northern Europe, using 23,000 teus megamax vessels powered by LNG. The investment aligns with CMA CGM’s strategy to expand its global portfolio of terminals and strengthen its network in key European ports, according to the group, which holds stakes in 64 terminals worldwide. It added that this initiative will help enhance resilience, intermodal connectivity, and low-carbon logistics across the region.
Modernizing Infrastructure
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, stated that the partnership “will help increase the terminal’s capacity, strengthen its rail connections, and support its transition towards more sustainable operations.” The agreement will also support Eurogate’s long-term plans to modernize Hamburg’s port infrastructure. The terminal connects directly to Eurokombi, Germany’s largest intermodal rail hub, offering fast land connections to Central and Eastern Europe.
This latest investment by CMA CGM will consolidate its long-standing presence in Germany, where the group established its first offices in Hamburg and Bremen in 1991. Currently, Germany is part of its regional cluster spanning five countries, with 23 weekly vessel calls in Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven.
This initiative comes amid growing investment by foreign shipping lines in Hamburg’s terminals. In 2023, Cosco Shipping Ports finalized the acquisition of a 24.99% stake in the Tollerort Container Terminal, while MSC, the world’s largest shipping line, acquired 49.9% of HHLA, the city’s leading terminal operator, representing a reconfiguration of ownership dynamics in the most important port in Northern Europe.
