HHLA opens new rail container terminal at Tollerort
HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) is boosting its handling capacity by taking into service a new on-dock rail container terminal. Containers can from now on be loaded here directly on to block trains.
In addition, CTT is opening up for intermodal services. This produces improvement all along the logistics chain. The new CTT rail terminal forms part of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA)’s expansion programme.
At a signal from Dr. Stefan Behn, HHLA Executive Board member, and Wolfgang Hurtienne, head of port planning at Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), one of the new rail gantry cranes placed the last two containers on HHLA rail affiliate Metrans’s meanwhile fully loaded train. With 80 containers on board, the train then left CTT for Prague. That completed the official inauguration of the new on-dock rail container terminal at HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) in the presence of around 100 guests.
“The new CTT on-dock rail container terminal is a further step towards expanding HHLA’s rail-side handling capacities,” said Dr. Stefan Behn of HHLA’s Executive Board. “In future we shall be able to handle five times as many containers by rail at CTT as previously.”
In constructing the new rail terminal, HHLA was able to draw on experience with other on-dock container rail terminals. Exploiting technological development and optimally interlinking up sea trades with the hinterland by rail are characteristic of HHLA’s approach to operations.
Wolfgang Hurtienne, head of port planning at HPA, stressed: “The expansion of CTT is one of the important projects towards achieving the Port of Hamburg’s goal of an 18 million TEU capacity in 2015. The high performance on-dock rail terminal clearly underlines Hamburg’s importance as a rail port.
At the CTT rail terminal, containers will in future be loaded on to railcars by special rail gantry cranes. The three new transtainer gantry cranes will perform this task more efficiently than the straddle carriers previously used. Moreover, the terminal’s five new tracks have been constructed to a length of 720 metres, so that block trains can also be handled here. This eliminates the need for shunting and still further boosts the performance of the facility. In addition, CTT is opening up its new rail container terminal to intermodal traffic - so that even non-shipborne containers can be loaded on to rail directly on-site at CTT. This will produce additional capacities for rail transport in the Port of Hamburg.
This on-dock container rail terminal is unique in being built on a slight curve. This special feature was dictated by the shape of the CTT site: The curved layout facilitates optimal utilization of the entire terminal area. That posed technical demands on rail handling here, since even on the curved track, transtainers must be capable of placing containers on railcars to an accuracy of centimetres. Swivelling joints between the chassis and the steel structure provide the essential curve tolerance. These ensure that the chassis roll at different speeds on the curve, while the steel superstructure need not alter its position.
Along with the enlargement of the rail terminal area from some 10,000 to around 70,000 square metres, the container yard has been considerably extended. Total area has been enlarged with the in-filling of the former
colliery port. Reorganization of CTT also involves improved truck clearance facilities, a multi-storey car park and a new office block.
These will be taken into service over the next few months. This bundle of measures will virtually double CTT’s handling capacity to over 2,000,000 standard containers (TEU).
Between 2008 and 2012 HHLA will be investing around 1.5 billion euros in expanding its handling capacities, hinterland network, logistics activities and real estate. By 2012, the capacity of HHLA container terminals will accordingly rise to over 12 million standard containers (TEU).
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is one of the leading port logistics groups in the European North Range. With its Container, Intermodal and Logistics segments, HHLA is positioned vertically along the transport chain. Efficient container terminals, high-capacity transport systems and a full range of logistics services form a complete network between the overseas port and its European hinterland.
In addition, CTT is opening up for intermodal services. This produces improvement all along the logistics chain. The new CTT rail terminal forms part of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA)’s expansion programme.
At a signal from Dr. Stefan Behn, HHLA Executive Board member, and Wolfgang Hurtienne, head of port planning at Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), one of the new rail gantry cranes placed the last two containers on HHLA rail affiliate Metrans’s meanwhile fully loaded train. With 80 containers on board, the train then left CTT for Prague. That completed the official inauguration of the new on-dock rail container terminal at HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) in the presence of around 100 guests.
“The new CTT on-dock rail container terminal is a further step towards expanding HHLA’s rail-side handling capacities,” said Dr. Stefan Behn of HHLA’s Executive Board. “In future we shall be able to handle five times as many containers by rail at CTT as previously.”
In constructing the new rail terminal, HHLA was able to draw on experience with other on-dock container rail terminals. Exploiting technological development and optimally interlinking up sea trades with the hinterland by rail are characteristic of HHLA’s approach to operations.
Wolfgang Hurtienne, head of port planning at HPA, stressed: “The expansion of CTT is one of the important projects towards achieving the Port of Hamburg’s goal of an 18 million TEU capacity in 2015. The high performance on-dock rail terminal clearly underlines Hamburg’s importance as a rail port.
At the CTT rail terminal, containers will in future be loaded on to railcars by special rail gantry cranes. The three new transtainer gantry cranes will perform this task more efficiently than the straddle carriers previously used. Moreover, the terminal’s five new tracks have been constructed to a length of 720 metres, so that block trains can also be handled here. This eliminates the need for shunting and still further boosts the performance of the facility. In addition, CTT is opening up its new rail container terminal to intermodal traffic - so that even non-shipborne containers can be loaded on to rail directly on-site at CTT. This will produce additional capacities for rail transport in the Port of Hamburg.
This on-dock container rail terminal is unique in being built on a slight curve. This special feature was dictated by the shape of the CTT site: The curved layout facilitates optimal utilization of the entire terminal area. That posed technical demands on rail handling here, since even on the curved track, transtainers must be capable of placing containers on railcars to an accuracy of centimetres. Swivelling joints between the chassis and the steel structure provide the essential curve tolerance. These ensure that the chassis roll at different speeds on the curve, while the steel superstructure need not alter its position.
Along with the enlargement of the rail terminal area from some 10,000 to around 70,000 square metres, the container yard has been considerably extended. Total area has been enlarged with the in-filling of the former
colliery port. Reorganization of CTT also involves improved truck clearance facilities, a multi-storey car park and a new office block.
These will be taken into service over the next few months. This bundle of measures will virtually double CTT’s handling capacity to over 2,000,000 standard containers (TEU).
Between 2008 and 2012 HHLA will be investing around 1.5 billion euros in expanding its handling capacities, hinterland network, logistics activities and real estate. By 2012, the capacity of HHLA container terminals will accordingly rise to over 12 million standard containers (TEU).
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is one of the leading port logistics groups in the European North Range. With its Container, Intermodal and Logistics segments, HHLA is positioned vertically along the transport chain. Efficient container terminals, high-capacity transport systems and a full range of logistics services form a complete network between the overseas port and its European hinterland.