Maersk’s port operating arm, APM Terminals, and Germany’s Eurogate are in advanced talks over a long-term partnership that would see €1bn ($1.2bn) invested in upgrading the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB).

APM Terminals already works alongside Eurogate at the facility. The new investment plan aims to turn NTB into one of the most efficient and resilient container terminals in Europe.

The proposed overhaul would lift annual capacity from 3m teu to 4m teu and replace existing equipment with modern, electrified systems. The partners said the goal is to operate the terminal with zero greenhouse gas emissions through full electrification and the use of renewable power — a first for a German container terminal.

The investment remains subject to internal and external approvals.

For Maersk, the move underlines Bremerhaven’s role in its North European network. The Danish carrier sees scope for the port to handle higher volumes tied to its ocean services and inland cargo flows into Germany.

Eurogate, which has operated in Bremerhaven for more than 25 years in partnership with Maersk and APM Terminals, said the project would secure long-term jobs and strengthen the port’s standing in the North Range, where competition between hubs remains intense.

Local authorities have also backed the plan, linking the terminal upgrade to wider federal and state infrastructure spending. However, both operators stressed that deepening the Outer Weser river will be critical to unlocking the full potential of the expanded facility. Planning procedures for the dredging project are currently under way.

If approved, the €1bn programme would mark one of the largest single terminal investments in Germany in recent years, positioning Bremerhaven to handle larger ships, higher volumes and tougher environmental standards in the decade ahead.