CargoBeamer plans to construct its first proprietary intermodal terminal in Germany. The site, located in Kaldenkirchen near the Dutch border, will expand the company’s terminal network with a facility built to handle non-craneable semi-trailers through an automated system. Construction of the first phase is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025, with commissioning expected during the second half of 2026.
Terminal to be built in two phases
The terminal will be developed in two construction stages on the grounds of an existing reachstacker terminal currently operated by the Cabooter Group. The first stage will cover approximately 133,000 square metres and includes the installation of CargoBeamer’s proprietary horizontal transshipment system, 277 parking spaces for semi-trailers, and infrastructure for automated check-in and check-out.
The second expansion phase, to follow later, is expected to bring the total site area to 159,000 square metres. Once complete, the terminal is projected to handle up to 228,000 loading units annually. The facility will also include one 750-metre CargoBeamer transshipment track, one 640-metre reachstacker track, two shunting tracks measuring 750 and 790 metres respectively, and a 170-metre track dedicated to maintenance.
Project co-financed by public and private funding
The Kaldenkirchen project will be supported by public funding through the German Federal Railway Authority, alongside private investment from CargoBeamer. The company has operated a terminal in Calais, France since 2021, using similar technology.
During the construction phase, operations at the existing terminal will continue with limited disruption. Once the new facility enters service in 2026, it is expected to handle semi-trailers within the Rhine-Ruhr and Benelux corridors.
The Kaldenkirchen terminal will serve as a new node in CargoBeamer’s growing corridor network and will support regular road-rail services in one of the busiest logistics regions on the continent.
