Eurogate and CMA Terminals SAS (CMAT) have signed a term sheet. The document lays out the essential parameters of a planned strategic collaboration. Part of the understanding is a twenty percent stake of the French terminal operator in Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg. Eurogate expects the partnership to yield a closer relationship with the customer CMA CGM, which handles a large transshipment volume through the group's facilities.
Investment plans for the Westward extension
Both sides discuss joint investments intended to support the financing of the planned expansion of the Eurogate terminal in the Waltershofer Harbor. The expansion is to
create additional capacity and, according to Eurogate, provide long-term planning security for the site.
Ongoing negotiations and regulatory prerequisites
The legal form of the partnership is still being coordinated. Legally binding contracts must be approved by the competent bodies and are subject to regulatory approval. Eurogate emphasizes that only after the completion of these procedures can final implementation take place.
Role of the executives in the negotiation process
Thomas Eckelmann as Chairman of the Executive Board of Eurokai and his son Tom Eckelmann as Co-Chairman of the Group Executive Management were significantly involved in the discussions. Eurogate notes
that both have been in exchange with CMA CGM's owner family since 2023 about closer cooperation.
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, said: „I am very pleased about the new partnership with EUROGATE, which represents an important step in the development of the Port of Hamburg and its aim to remain a major transshipment hub for European trade. Through our stake, we will help increase the terminal's capacity, strengthen its rail connectivity, and support its path toward a more sustainable operation. This reflects our confidence in Germany's long-term competitiveness and our commitment to resilient
and efficient supply chains in Europe.“
Assessments by the parties involved
In a statement, Thomas and Tom Eckelmann described the longstanding connection to CMA CGM's owners as the basis for the agreement now reached. They noted that with the signing of the project and lease agreements for the Westward extension on 4 July 2025, important prerequisites for the site's development had been created.
Also, the CMA CGM Group commented on the planned partnership. Its Chairman, Rodolphe Saadé, emphasized that the stake should contribute to increasing terminal capacity, strengthening the rail freight connection, and further developing operations toward greater
