With a new facility in Kaldenkirchen, near Venlo, CargoBeamer is bringing its handling technology to German soil for the first time. According to the company, one of Europe’s most modern sites for combined road-rail transport will be constructed in this region close to the Dutch border.
Construction of the first phase is scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with operations expected to commence one year later. The terminal will initially occupy an area of around 133,000 square metres, with potential to expand to 159,000 square metres. The first phase will include more than 270 parking spaces for semi-trailers, along with automated check-in and check-out systems. The facility is expected to handle up to 228,000 loading units per year.
“With our first CargoBeamer terminal in Germany, we’re giving the shift to sustainable transport in Europe the urgently needed momentum,” said Nicolas Albrecht, CEO of CargoBeamer.
Kaldenkirchen is seen as an ideal location for high-frequency services between western Germany and the Benelux countries. The terminal will be developed on the site of an existing reach stacker facility operated by the Dutch Cabooter Group. Operations are expected to continue largely uninterrupted during construction.
CargoBeamer uses patented transshipment technology capable of automatically loading even non-craneable semi-trailers onto rail wagons. The terminal will include specially designed wagons and logistics software to enable fast, energy-efficient handling — without the need for cranes or large numbers of personnel.
In its final stage, the site will feature a 750-metre-long CargoBeamer transshipment track, a 640-metre reach stacker track, two shunting tracks, and a maintenance track. The number of truck parking spaces will also increase to approximately 670.
The project is primarily funded by the Federal Railway Authority under its combined transport support scheme, with additional investment from CargoBeamer. The Kaldenkirchen terminal will be the company’s second facility, following its Calais site in France, which has been in operation since 2021.
With the new terminal, CargoBeamer aims not only to boost capacity but also to improve reliability and frequency in intermodal transport. The long-term goal is to establish a European network of CargoBeamer terminals, connected by fixed timetables. The Kaldenkirchen site is intended to serve as the western gateway to the German network.
