Hutchison Port Holdings Limited has announced that its subsidiary, Barcelona Europe South Terminal (BEST), has acquired a 20% interest in inland terminal company Depot tmZ Services S.L. Depot tmZ operates the Maritime Terminal of Zaragoza (TMZ), an inland terminal in Spain.
Guillermo Belcastro, General Manager of BEST said, “TMZ is a perfect fit with BEST’s semi-automated container terminal in the Port of Barcelona. This new acquisition will help us provide comprehensive logistics solutions by developing our hinterland network throughout Spain and southern France.
He went on to say that, “Zaragoza is strategically located mid-way between Barcelona and Madrid and within 300 km of some of Spain’s most important industrial areas including Catalonia, Aragón, the Basque region and Valencia. Combining TMZ’s ability to transfer containers to all these destinations with BEST’s deep-sea shipping connections offers logistics solutions that are efficient, economical and environmentally sustainable.”
The investment in TMZ is expected to help open up the range of destinations serviced through BEST and the Port of Barcelona. In cooperation with other rail operators BEST has been working to increase the range and frequency of rail services including a new direct daily connection to the Madrid area of Spain.
TMZ is BEST’s second investment in its inland terminal network. It joins Terminal Intermodal de Navarra, BEST’s existing inland depot located in Pamplona, Spain.
Following the acquisition, Depot tmZ Services S.L. in Zaragoza will be owned by BEST (20%), Terminal de Contenidors de Barcelona (45%) and TMZ (35%).