HL Terminal Holding (HLTH), a subsidiary entirely owned by the German shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd and operating under the Hanseatic Global Terminals (HGT) brand, has reached a preliminary agreement with Eurogate—a German joint venture of Eurokai and BLG Logistics—to purchase 20% of the shares of Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH). CTH is presently wholly owned by Eurogate and operates the container terminal of the same name at the Port of Hamburg.
With an annual capacity of 2.5 million TEUs, CTH ranks as one of the primary container facilities at the Elbe port. The agreement involves investment commitments aimed at expanding the terminal to the west and enhancing its automation, digitalization, and electrification.
In this same German enclave, HGT also holds a 25.1% stake in Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), where the remaining 74.9% is owned by Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), which operates the Burchardkai and Tollerort terminals.
The transaction will also adjust the shareholding structure of Tanger Alliance, which manages the Container Terminal 3 (TC3) at Morocco’s Tangier Med port. Currently, its capital is divided between Moroccan Marsa Maroc, holding 50% plus one share; Hapag-Lloyd at 10%; and 40% minus one share held by Eurogate and Contship Italia, the latter of which is 66.6% owned by Eurokai and 33.4% owned by Eurogate.
Under the terms of the agreement, HLTH will secure an additional 10% of Tanger Alliance, with this share being transferred by Eurogate. Concurrently, Eurogate will cede another 10% to Eurokai, which will retain its overall stake in the company. As a result, Hapag-Lloyd’s ownership in the Moroccan terminal will increase from 10% to 20%.
Dheeraj Bhatia, CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals, stated that the agreement strengthens the company’s foothold in Northern Europe: “We aim to collaborate with our partners to enhance efficient port infrastructure, preparing for future challenges and optimizing the supply chain for the benefit of shippers, ports, and global commerce.”
Michael Blach, chairman of Eurogate’s board, noted the longstanding partnership between the two companies: “Hapag-Lloyd has been a strategic ally for Eurogate for decades. We aspire to elevate CTH as a premier logistics hub in Northern Europe through modernization, digitalization, automation, and electrification, ensuring optimized performance and significantly more sustainable operations.”
Moreover, Eurokai has announced ongoing negotiations with CMA Terminals, a subsidiary of French shipping group CMA CGM, to sell 20% of Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg, discussions that will also involve investment commitments linked to the terminal’s western expansion.
Established in 2023 as an independent division within Hapag-Lloyd, Hanseatic Global Terminals aims to manage and develop the group’s terminal and infrastructure operations. Its “Vision 2030” roadmap seeks to build a portfolio of approximately 30 port terminals globally.
The parties expect to formalize the agreement in the third quarter of this year, pending approval from the necessary regulators and competition authorities.
