Portfocus CuxPort finds niche
Not all multi-purpose terminals have evolved out of older-style general cargo operations. Some, such as CuxPort in Germany, are purposedesigned multi-purpose terminals, CuxPort having been designed on behalf of Niedersächsisches Hafenamt Cuxhaven and CuxPort Seehafen-Dienstleistungs by Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft.
"CuxPort has an advantageous location, and excellent infrastructure and know-how were already present in Cuxhaven. What was missing was an efficient multi-functional terminal, so during the period 1995-1997, deepwater berths were excavated, a large terminal complex land-filled and infrastructure erected for handling ro-ro, container and project cargo,"
Dr Schafer explains. The compact multifunctional terminal opened in 1997, and established itself serving international shipping routes between Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Its success is based on the fact that it has deliberately not tried to target high volume containership traffic, leaving that kind of trade to other well known German ports, choosing instead to establish itself in a multi-purpose 'niche'.
