RWG accelerates terminal expansion with EUR500 million investment, adding a fourth deep-sea berth to enhance capacity and automation by 2030.
Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG), operator of one of the most highly automated container terminals on Maasvlakte 2, is accelerating the final phase of its terminal expansion with an investment of approximately EUR500 million. The plan adds a fourth and final deep-sea berth capable of handling the world's largest container ships, bringing the total investment in the terminal's development to roughly EUR2 billion.
The company confirmed the acceleration in close consultation with its shareholders – DP World, CMA CGM, ONE, and HMM – and expects to bring the additional capacity into commercial operation before 2030. Once complete, the terminal will reach a total storage capacity of approximately 5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), reinforcing Rotterdam's position as a primary gateway for cargo moving into and out of Europe.
In this final phase, RWG will use the full quay length allocated by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, giving the terminal four deep-sea berths for the largest vessels afloat. The investment covers a substantial expansion of handling equipment, including:
* Five new quay cranes
* Eleven storage modules equipped with 22 automated stacking cranes
* 24 automated guided vehicles (AGVs)
RWG is also studying the potential implementation of a BoxBay high-bay storage system for empty containers, with a capacity of approximately 30,000 TEU. Additional works include increased charging capacity for electric equipment, expanded gate capacity, larger storage areas for non-standard cargo, and enlarged office and maintenance facilities.
The EUR500 million investment is financed in part by RWG's existing lenders.
The fourth-berth development will proceed in stages at the existing terminal, running alongside the third-berth expansion announced in 2023. RWG expects that the third berth will enter commercial operation in 2027. After finalizing contracts for the final phase, the company will continue civil engineering works to prepare the site, targeting commercial use of the new capacity before the end of the decade.
For shippers managing high-volume, time-sensitive supply chains, added berth capacity and further automation are directly tied to reliability. More berth availability reduces vessel waiting times, while automated stacking cranes and AGVs support consistent handling and predictable turnaround – factors that influence on-time delivery, inventory planning, and total landed cost.
Ronald Lugthart, CEO and Chairman of the Board of RWG, framed the phase as a defining moment for the terminal, which began as a greenfield project on Maasvlakte 2.
"This final phase marks a special moment in the development of RWG," Lugthart said. "What started as an ambitious plan on a greenfield site on Maasvlakte 2 is now progressing towards the final phase of the terminal as originally conceived. Together we have invested in a terminal that is ready not only for today's growth, but also for tomorrow's logistical challenges."
Lugthart added that the expansion strengthens both the terminal's continuity and Rotterdam's competitive standing. "The last phase will not only strengthen RWG's continuity, it will also enhance the competitive position of Rotterdam as the most important gateway to Europe."
RWG's terminal has operated on Maasvlakte 2 as a fully automated, electrically powered facility since it opened. The final phase advances that model – expanding capacity, deepening automation, and extending the terminal's electric and maintenance infrastructure – as the company completes the site as originally conceived.
For cargo owners weighing reliability and long-term capacity in their European routing decisions, the expansion signals a terminal built to absorb growth and sustain dependable throughput well into the next decade.
