Boluda buys Rotterdam terminal in Northern European expansion

Boluda Shipping will buy Matrans Terminal Rotterdam, adding a major multipurpose facility to its port operations as the Spanish group accelerates its expansion in Northern Europe.

The agreement was signed on 3 November and covers the maritime terminal at Eemhaven, one of Rotterdam’s main short-sea shipping hubs. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

Matrans occupies 360,000m², including 70,000m² of covered warehousing. Its infrastructure includes 1,100 metres of quay with a water depth of 12.65 metres, a ro-ro berth with 9 metres of water and 600 metres of railway track.

The terminal handles containers, forest products, metals, general and project cargo, and ro-ro traffic. It also provides customs management, fiscal representation, road transport and freight forwarding.

The deal follows Boluda Shipping’s agreement, announced on 28 October, to buy Dutch logistics and short-sea shipping group Samskip. Subject to completion, the combined network is expected to comprise 21 maritime terminals and five rail terminals, alongside 32 vessels operating on 18 routes across 28 countries.

Boluda’s shopping spree

The two deals form part of a wider expansion by Boluda across its maritime businesses.

In the past 12 months, Boluda Towage has acquired Royal Boskalis’ towage and salvage operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea in a transaction valued at $640 million; in April it acquired Seatrium Group’s tug assets and shipyard towage business in Singapore; and most recently, on 4 November, it completed the acquisition of Dutch maritime services company Muller Dordrecht, adding a fleet of 16 tugs, including seven offshore vessels, and eight barges.

Boluda has also reinforced its Rotterdam presence with new offices opened in June. The company said the addition of Matrans would strengthen links between maritime and land transport, supporting intermodal movements by sea, rail and road.

“With Matrans, Boluda adds infrastructure and service capacity in a strategic hub for European trade,” the company said. “The development of this platform will help connect markets with production and consumption centres, facilitating the movement of goods and strengthening business competitiveness through more efficient and reliable logistics.”

Matrans is entering a new phase of development, with plans to improve operational efficiency, increase cargo volumes and enhance customer service.

Boluda said the expanded network would provide greater coverage and service capacity for shipping lines, logistics operators and industrial customers.