The MCS container terminal in Leeuwarden & a winding hole for 110-metre container ships officially opened for business.
The winding hole [turning basin] is at the junction of the Zwette and Van Harinxma canals. Following Westerbroek and Meppel, Leeuwarden is the third terminal for MCS which links the north of the country with the Port of Rotterdam.
Construction involved an investment of EUR 8.5 million. The new gantry crane can lift 47 tonnes and handle 25 containers per hour. Two container ships sail a fixed schedule between Leeuwarden and Rotterdam with a stop in Utrecht.
MCS annually transports around 75,000 TEU in chartered 156 TEU ships. Largest customer Friesland Campina transports around 350 containers in inland vessels to Rotterdam every week (approx. 18,000 per year) via the new terminal.
According to manager Jarig Langhout, this will probably increase by 30% thanks to the expansion of activities.