The Port of Rotterdam Authority, ProRail, and Swietelsky Rail Benelux havee given the go-ahead for construction of the Maasvlakte Zuid (EMZ) Railway Yard in the Netherlands. This was done in the presence of representatives from the government of Rotterdam, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and the European Parliament.
The first phase of the project involves construction of the initial bundle of six sidings suitable for 740-metre trains and various connections to existing rail infrastructure. This bundle will be commissioned in mid-2027. The remaining three bundles will be implemented in phases depending on rail freight transport forecasts in the period after 2027.
The construction of the EMZ is necessary to facilitate the growth of rail freight transport from the Maasvlakte to the European hinterland. Container throughput in the port of Rotterdam is expected to continue increasing in the coming years. The import and export of containers is crucial for companies and consumers in both the Netherlands and Europe and is thus essential to European prosperity. To continue transporting the ever-increasing flow of containers to and from the hinterland efficiently, Port of Rotterdam Authority, ProRail, and the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management are investing in sustainable and efficient rail infrastructure.
