Boluda Shipping expands Rotterdam presence with Matrans terminal agreement

Boluda Shipping has signed an agreement to acquire Matrans Rotterdam Terminal, strengthening its position in Northern Europe’s port and intermodal logistics market as the Spanish shipping group pursues a wider expansion of its maritime transport network.

The agreement, signed on 3 November 2026, covers the multipurpose terminal located in Eemhaven, one of Rotterdam’s established short-sea shipping areas. The transaction follows Boluda Shipping’s agreement to acquire Samskip, announced on 28 October, with both acquisitions remaining subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

The addition of Matrans would provide Boluda Shipping with further terminal infrastructure in Rotterdam, supporting its plans to develop a more integrated network connecting maritime transport, rail services and road distribution. Financial details of the Matrans transaction have not been disclosed.

Matrans terminal infrastructure and capabilities

Matrans Rotterdam Terminal occupies approximately 360,000 square metres, including 70,000 square metres of covered warehousing. Its infrastructure includes 1,100 metres of quay with a water depth of 12.65 metres, a dedicated Ro-Ro berth with a depth of nine metres and 600 metres of railway track.

The facility handles a range of cargoes, including containers, forest products, metals, general cargo, project cargo and Ro-Ro traffic. It also provides associated logistics services covering customs management, fiscal representation, road transport and freight forwarding.

Boluda Shipping intends to develop Matrans’ operational capacity and commercial activities, with a focus on increasing cargo volumes, improving terminal efficiency and strengthening customer services. The terminal’s combination of maritime, storage and rail infrastructure could support the coordination of short-sea services with inland European transport connections.

Expansion alongside the Samskip acquisition

The Matrans agreement forms part of Boluda Shipping’s broader expansion into Northern Europe, following its proposed acquisition of Rotterdam-headquartered Samskip. That transaction is expected to close on 1 January 2027, subject to the required approvals and agreed conditions.

Following completion of the transactions, Boluda Shipping expects its international infrastructure network to comprise 21 maritime terminals and five rail terminals. The proposed combination with Samskip would also bring together maritime transport operations serving Northern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa.

The wider network is expected to include 32 vessels operating 18 routes across 28 countries, alongside more than 500 company-owned trucks. These capabilities would allow Boluda to strengthen coordination between short-sea shipping, port handling and inland freight distribution.

Rotterdam has become increasingly important to the group’s Northern European activities. Boluda already operates harbour towage services in the region through Boluda Towage, while its shipping division has been developing maritime transport and logistics activities. The group also inaugurated new offices in Rotterdam in June 2026.

The acquisition of Matrans would add a major multipurpose facility to this regional presence, giving Boluda Shipping additional infrastructure to support cargo handling and intermodal connections. Completion of the transaction remains subject to regulatory clearance and the applicable closing conditions.