APM Terminals has awarded civil works and electrification contract for Maasvlakte II container terminal expansion in Rotterdam to CareGo, a consortium of ABB, Dura Vermeer and GMB.

The expansion will cover a 51-hectare container yard, which will double the capacity of the terminal, making it one of the most advanced fully automated terminals in the world.

The 51 hectares will consist of 31 additional yard blocks, quay area, truck and rail areas, and associated infrastructure.

The Rotterdam Port Authority has already constructed 1,000 meters of new deep-sea quay for the expansion of the facility. The financial details of the order were not disclosed.

The consortium partners, technology leader ABB and Dutch construction companies Dura Vermeer and GMB, were chosen due to their expertise in construction and electrification of container terminals and previous experience providing solutions for APM Terminals.

ABB will provide terminal electrification with prefabricated substations and datacenters, terminal lighting, fiber optic network, and power supply to cranes and reefers.

Dura Vermeer and GMB will supply the civil works of the entire site, including pavements, concrete foundations, crane tracks, reefer racks, fencing and the expansion of the rail terminal.

"Building a fully automated Container Terminal of this magnitude in such a short time frame is a challenging but also wonderful assignment. We have proven with APM Terminals MVII that we can do this.

“The new terminal is both highly sustainable and innovative. The participating companies in the construction consortium recognize themselves in this forward-thinking approach, making them perfectly suited for this challenging project,” said Sander Lindemans, Project Director, CareGo.

APM Terminals MVII will become one of the world's most advanced fully automated terminals, equipped to load and unload the largest container ships in the world. With fully secure automated areas separating man and machine, it will also be one of the safest.