At the confluence of the Moselle and Saar rivers, near the border with Luxembourg, the Port of Trier has been recognized for decades as a tri-modal transportation hub (rail, inland waterway, road transport), offering a comprehensive range of services. Its main cargo includes solid and liquid bulk goods such as earth and mineral oils, as well as ores and metals. Plans are now underway to construct a multi-purpose hall on the port premises, boasting a total capacity of 15,000 m² along with tri-modal terminals. Port Director Volker Klassen has set his sights on the fruit and vegetable sector, seizing the opportunity to unveil the new construction plans at the Fruit Logistica world trade fair in Berlin recently.
Aerial view of the port area, including the location of the planned hall. / Image: Port of Trier
"One of Germany's largest sparkling wine producers is located here in Trier and receives a lot of base wine from Spain, delivered both by train and tanker trucks. I could envision a similar setup for fruits and vegetables. We are situated midway between the Iberian Peninsula and Northern and Central Europe. Therefore, I see the potential for becoming a hub in fruit logistics," Klassen explains the rationale behind the construction plan. "I can imagine a transshipment function, for instance, for trailer transports from Spain, where a portion of the volume is then stored on-site and dispatched within a radius of about 200 km. The remainder would then be transported by trailer to destinations such as Berlin, Scandinavia, or Eastern Europe."
There have already been several specific inquiries about the new multi-user hall, Klassen continues. "Naturally, full occupancy of 15,000 m² would be ideal, yet the project could also be viable with just 5,000 m². Following the receipt of the building permit, groundbreaking could then take place in the spring or summer of 2025."
Volker Klassen took the opportunity to present the new construction plans at Fruit Logistica. He was represented as a co-exhibitor at the joint stand of German logistics companies in Hall 21.
Marketing and development of port logistics
Since its inception in the 1960s, the focus of the port has been on logistics surrounding fossil fuels (primarily diesel and heating oil). Klassen: "This segment has seen a significant decline in recent years, while the topic of metal recycling has gained in importance. Overall, the local port economy has weathered the Corona crisis well. There are also several companies related to the food sector based at the port. A prime example is the packaging manufacturer Westrock. Our goal is to diversify our range of services in the coming years and find good niches, thus playing across a broad spectrum of sectors." From this basic idea, the port management has launched a comprehensive marketing strategy. Under the title "I'm a Port Fan," athletes, artists, regional politicians, and business representatives, as well as entrepreneurs and employees of the Port of Trier, pledge their allegiance to the transportation hub on the Moselle in short video clips and powerful images.
In recent years, the range of services in the rail transport sector has also been expanded. "By establishing rail lines to Antwerp and Rotterdam, both seaports can now be accessed three times a week with container transports. In addition, our logistics companies also work closely with the port in Mertert, Luxembourg. As mentioned earlier, we aim to further advance the still nascent theme of trailer traffic, also with a view to expanding our container terminal," the port director concludes.
For more information:
Volker Klassen
Port of Trier Company Ltd.
Ostkai 4
54293 Trier
Tel.: +49 151 29178809
Fax: +49 651-9680440
klassen@hafen-trier.de
www.hafen-trier.de