Press Release

40 years of handling coal at the BTW in Wilhelmshaven under the Rhenus flag

The first bulk carrier with coal on board docked at the Bulk Terminal Wilhelmshaven (BTW), which is operated by Rhenus Midgard, in April 1976. The facility has handled more than 60 million tonnes of coal for local power stations and consignees further inland since this premiere four decades ago. The long-standing terminal for handling bulk commodities was able to unload the largest amount of coal so far in 2015 – 3.65 million tonnes. The complex, which used to be known as the Niedersachsenbrücke, was modernised and extended between 2008 and 2013 in order to be equipped for the future.

“Handling coal is an important mainstay for Rhenus Midgard’s business in
Wilhelmshaven. Again and again, we’ve managed to create the conditions to
ensure that vessels are unloaded quickly and reliably. The extension work
completed during the last few years has created one of the most efficient coal
terminals in Europe,” says Matthias Schrell, Managing Director of Rhenus Midgard
in Wilhelmshaven, summarising developments to mark the jubilee.

The BTW is the only facility in Germany that is able to handle fully laden Capesize
vessels with a load-carrying capacity of up to 250,000 tonnes and a draught of
18.50. The equipment there also includes Europe’s most modern wagon loading
unit with a loading capacity of 2,000 tonnes per hour; its technology ensures that
the load factor in the wagons is higher than 99 percent. 

“Using the extended and modernised equipment that has been installed, we’re
aiming to gradually increase the annual record handling figure of 3.65 million
tonnes, which was achieved at the site in 2015. Our next goal is to move towards
an annual volume of five million tonnes. Looking even further into the future, it will
be possible to handle double this figure at the BTW,” says Matthias Schrell
emphatically, as he looks forward to the next few years at the terminal in
Wilhelmshaven.

About Rhenus

About Rhenus

The Rhenus Group provides logistics services around the globe and has
annual turnover amounting to EUR 4.2 billion. Rhenus employs over 25,000
people at more than 460 locations worldwide. The Rhenus business areas –
Contract Logistics, Freight Logistics and Port Logistics –
manage complex supply chains and provide a wealth of innovative value-
added services.