The Dutch have officially started working on a new rail yard on the Maasvlakte, on the far end of the Rotterdam port. In the first phase, the facility will get six tracks to be taken into use in mid-2027.
The rail yard, also known by its abbreviation EMZ, is necessary to facilitate the growth of rail freight to the hinterland, explains infrastructure manager ProRail. The Rotterdam port already has to contend with congestion, mostly caused by land-side infrastructure shortcomings. There is a need to boost capacity for hinterland transportation.
Besides that, the Netherlands expects container traffic to grow even more in the coming years. “The import and export of containers is crucial for businesses and consumers in both the Netherlands and Europe, and thus for European prosperity”, explains ProRail. “We need to be able to efficiently handle this ever-increasing flow of containers to and from the hinterland.”
EMZ will facilitate 740-metre trains, more than the current standard length of 600 metres. That allows for fewer train movements and therefore lower transportation costs, as well as fewer emissions.