Eurogate operates nine container terminals in Germany, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and handled 12.6 million standard containers last year -- more than the 11.1 million boxes handled by Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port. The Bremen, Germany-based company expects to handle 10 percent more containers this year, compared with 5.2 percent growth last year and a "long-term" yearly growth rate of 7 percent to 10 percent, Schiffer said.
“If the right opportunity is there, we may also look outside Europe for new projects,” he said.
The company traces its roots back to 1865, when Eurokai was founded in Hamburg, and to 1877, when BLG was created in Bremen. The two companies merged in 1999. Eurogate reported a 29 percent increase in profit to 61.6 million euros ($87.9 million) last year.
Eurogate may make a bid if Hamburg, Europe’s third-largest container port, decides to develop the Steinwerder site in its harbor into a new container terminal, Schiffer said.