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The logistics service provider H.Essers officially opened the new H.Essers Container Terminal in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands, on June 9, 2026. The facility is strategically located on the Scheldt-Rhine Canal, between the ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam, and is intended to serve as a consolidation center in the North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean corridor, one of Europe’s most significant transport routes. With an investment of 75 million EUR, an annual capacity of 325,000 TEU will be achieved, underscoring H.Essers‘ commitment to inland shipping in European container transport. The new terminal also replaces the existing inland terminal in Bergen op Zoom.
Modern infrastructure for European transport
It features 350 meters of quay, a 6.5-hectare site, and storage capacity for 25,000 containers, including facilities for refrigerated goods and hazardous materials (ADR). Additionally, the storage area has been expanded by an extra 45,000 m², bringing H.Essers‘ total storage space in Bergen op Zoom to 210,000 m². Two inland shipping connections operate daily from the H.Essers Container Terminal to Rotterdam and Antwerp. The site employs 150 staff, indirectly supporting another 300 jobs.
A key advantage of the new terminal’s location is its accessibility. The old terminal was situated behind the Burgemeester Peterssluis lock and a narrow canal, meaning only smaller inland vessels could reach the quay. The new H.Essers Container Terminal is located outside the dikes, directly on the Scheldt-Rhine Canal, making it accessible to larger vessels around the clock.
This location choice has direct implications for container transport in Europe. The ports of Antwerp-Bruges and Rotterdam have minimum call sizes for inland vessels docking at their terminals. Ships must arrive with a certain minimum number of containers to operate the quays efficiently. This requirement is particularly relevant as both seaports face increasing congestion, necessitating careful planning for each berth. The H.Essers Container Terminal provides a seamless solution: smaller inland shipping flows are consolidated on-site onto larger vessels that meet the required call sizes. This ensures that container transport remains consistently on the water.
“The H.Essers Container Terminal is more than just an infrastructural project,” explains Gert Bervoets, CEO of H.Essers. “This location between Antwerp and Rotterdam, directly on the North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean corridor, offers a logistics model that is less dependent on road traffic and fully integrated into Europe’s main corridors. For our customers, this means faster and more predictable connections between Antwerp and Rotterdam. For the region and Europe, it means less pressure on the roads and a lower CO2 footprint per container.”
Environmentally friendly design and regional impact
The H.Essers Container Terminal has been designed with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. The operation utilizes emission-free portal cranes and 19,000 solar panels. Docked vessels can shut down their diesel generators while connected to shore power. In the long term, the facility will also be equipped as a charging point for the electrified inland shipping of the future. The location outside the dikes leads to a significant reduction in nitrogen emissions.
The new terminal complements H.Essers‘ existing services in the region, including customs clearance, storage of hazardous materials, and value-added activities such as filling. Thus, the site plays a central role in H.Essers‘ growth strategy in the Netherlands, which has been accelerated by the acquisition of the chemical activities of the Meeus Group.
