Moving the global economy

Proving reliable autonomy for the complete horizontal transport cycle in a container terminal

EUROGATE, one of Europe’s leading container terminal and logistics companies, and Em-botech, a premier provider of autonomous driving solutions, have, in cooperation with MAFI, a trusted manufacturer of terminal tractors, and ICT Group, a renowned European provider of industrial technology solutions, successfully completed a pilot project demonstrating the maturity and flexibility of Embotech’s Autonomous Tractor Solutions (ATS) at the EUROGATE Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven. The pro-ject passed all tests for 18 different use cases, confirming that the sys-tem meets demanding port-logistics requirements.

Key achievements include:
• Operations in mixed traffic and all-weather conditions
• Exact positioning under quay cranes – ensuring precise container handovers for waterside operations.
• Interaction with rail crane terminal
• Backwards driving with centimeter-level precision
• Localisation in GPS denied areas – safe & precise driving without reli-ance on satellite signals
• Integration with Terminal IT – seamless connection between Embo-tech’s Fleet Management System (FMS) and the Equipment Control System (ECS) as gateway to TOS

The tests were performed on a MAFI terminal tractor with a NextG drive by wire, demonstrating that Embotech’s ATS is vehicle-agnostic and adapta-ble to different truck platforms.

Voices from the Collaboration
“Working with Embotech, MAFI and ICT on this pilot underscores how au-tonomous driving can be deployed safely and effectively in our terminal environment,” said Henrik Landau, Project Manager of this Proof-of-Concept at EUROGATE. “Passing all tests confirms that autonomous tech-nology can integrate with our operations and IT systems while meeting the highest safety standards.”

Embotech’s Head of Business Development Niklas Thomas added: “This collaboration with EUROGATE allowed us to prove that our ATS can serve as the main mode of horizontal transport on both Landside and Waterside. The successful pilot is an important milestone on the path to scalable, au-tonomous terminal logistics.”

About the Autonomous Tractor Solution (ATS)
Embotech’s ATS enables safe, fully autonomous operation of terminal trucks in container ports and logistics hubs. Designed for mixed-traffic en-vironments and all-weather conditions, ATS executes complex maneuvers with real-time trajectory planning rather than pre-defined routes. The sys-tem integrates with terminal management and equipment control sys-tems to optimize throughput and ensure consistent, safe operations with-out manual intervention.

Bremen, November 12, 2025 – EUROGATE GmbH & Co. KGaA, KG, Bremen, and CMA Terminals SAS (CMAT), a subsidiary of CMA CGM SA, Marseille, have signed a term sheet agreeing on the key points of a strategic partnership. This includes, inter alia, a 20% share for CMAT in EUROGATE Container Terminal Hamburg GmbH (CTH). EUROGATE associates the establishment of this partnership with an even closer customer relationship with CMA CGM, a strong partner with a high container handling volume. Likewise, both parties are discussing joint investments, which significantly support the financing of the intended Western Extension of EUROGATE’s terminal at the ‘Waltershofer Hafen’ port in Hamburg.

The legal details of this partnership as well as the corresponding legally binding agreements are currently the subject of ongoing negotiations. Any legally binding contracts are subject to the approval of the respective committees and the relevant authorities

Thomas Eckelmann, CEO of EUROKAI and shareholder of EUROGATE, and his son Tom Eckelmann, Co-CEO of EUROGATE Group, played a key role in reaching the agreement in principle that has now been achieved. On the occasion of this milestone, they stated: "We have a very long-standing friendship with the CMA CGM owner family of Rodolphe Saadé and have been discussing a closer partnership since 2023. This year, with the signing of the project and lease agreements for the Western Extension on July 4th, we have also been able to establish long-term planning security at our Hamburg location. We are delighted to build on this momentum together with CMA CGM, currently the third-largest shipping company in the world, to further develop CTH as an important logistics hub in Northern Europe. Through modernisation, digitalisation, increased automation and electrification of our handling processes, we aim to gradually position the terminal for a strong and sustainable future."

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, stated: “I am very pleased about this new partnership with EUROGATE, which marks an important step in the development of Hamburg Port and supports its ambition to remain a major gateway for European trade. Through our participation, we will help enhance the terminal’s capacity, strengthen its rail connections, and support its move towards more sustainable operations. This reflects our confidence in Germany’s long-term competitiveness and our commitment to contributing to resilient and efficient supply chains in Europe.”

For the first time in its 13-year history, EUROGATE Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven (CTW) has handled more than one million standard containers (TEU) in a single year. Today, the 1,000,000th TEU of 2025 was moved at the CTW in the presence of Lower Saxony's Minister for Economic Affairs, Grant Hendrik Tonne, and the State Councillor for Ports at the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation, Kai Stührenberg. The anniversary container was brought to the CTW by the shipping line Hapag-Lloyd as part of the weekly regular call of the NE1 service of the Gemini Cooperation, which calls Wilhelmshaven as its European first-port-of-call. The client is the globally active logistics company Gebrüder Weiss, headquartered in Lauterach (Austria).

Holger Bomm, Managing Director of EUROGATE Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven, said on the anniversary: "We are delighted and very proud to have surpassed the million mark. Thanks to our partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, the hub-and-spoke strategy of Gemini Cooperation, and our other customers, CTW can finally demonstrate its full potential.

Saskia Boljahn, Senior Director Operations North Europe at Hapag-Lloyd, adds: "For our customers, one thing counts above all else: reliability. The tide-independent deep-water port of Wilhelmshaven has established itself as a reliable hub – with stable processes, efficient handling, and direct connections to various shipping routes such as the Far East and the Atlantic. The record throughput of over one million TEU shows that the port is gaining in importance. It strengthens our network and our customers' supply chains in Northern Europe in the long term."

Christian Frölich, branch manager at Gebrüder Weiss in Bremen, also offered his congratulations, saying: “We are delighted that the anniversary container has arrived here. Our customers appreciate Wilhelmshaven's direct connection to the Far East, as well as the fast handling and high availability of goods. The anniversary container comes from China and contains machine parts for an international customer in the agricultural industry.”

Addicks & Kreye Container Service GmbH & Co. KG, Bremerhaven, is taking the next step in digitalisation and automation: the company has signed a software licence agreement with EUROGATE IT’s platform operateMybox for the module for Depot Operations.

The agreement secures Addicks & Kreye access to a state-of-the-art cloud-based Depot solution – a proven software module that is already in successful use at REMAIN GmbH Container - Depot and Repair in Hamburg. The digital mapping and automation of central workflows have led to greater efficiency and transparency, while also opening up further optimisation potential – especially in connection with CONROO, enabling further automation and efficiency in daily depot operations.

What the Depot Module does
The module operateMybox Depot is designed to digitalise and streamline the full range of container depot processes. It manages:

• Container Handling
• Storage management
• Repair and maintenance workflows
• Invoicing and reporting

All tasks are centralised in a single, cloud-based system, giving depot operators real-time visibility, smoother workflows, and seamless integration into surrounding logistics systems. The Bremerhaven rollout once again demonstrates the module’s flexibility and adaptability to different customer requirements regardless of whether in the office or outside on the depot grounds with mobile devices.

What CONROO adds
The CONROO feature extends the module operateMybox Depot with an intelligent pre-announcement, automated gate and yard handling solution for truck drivers. Truck arrivals are scheduled digitally, gate handlings are done autonomously, and yard positions are assigned via app reducing waiting times and congestion at the depot. For drivers, this means faster turnaround times; for operators, it ensures smoother yard capacity planning and better resource utilisation. At REMAIN GmbH Container - Depot and RepairHamburg, this combination of operateMybox Depot + CONROO has already shown impressive results, reducing bottlenecks and optimising daily operations.

“With this step, we are raising the level of digitalisation and automation in our depot operations. For us, it is a key investment into the future competitiveness of our Bremerhaven site,” says Andreas Kellner, Managing Director of Addicks & Kreye.

“We are proud to push this project forward together with operateMybox and EUROGATE IT. With the module operateMybox Depot and the planned integration of CONROO we are setting new standards in how container depots are run,” adds Malte Bruns, Head of Operations at Addicks & Kreye.

The licence agreement includes a one-time setup with full integration into the systems of Container Service Bremerhaven – making the solution ready for immediate use. EUROGATE IT acts as the software provider, while Addicks & Kreye will benefit from continuous updates, scalability, and integration options within the operateMybox ecosystem.

“We are delighted to kick off this journey together with Addicks & Kreye. The Bremerhaven project is another strong example of how our operateMybox modules create immediate value in real operations – and how partnerships can accelerate the digital transformation of logistics,” says Patrick Jandt, Head of EUROGATE IT.

operateMybox – a Platform for an automated terminal future
operateMybox is EUROGATE IT’s modular platform for container logistics, offering a variety of products for terminal and depot operators – from Depot Operations to Terminal Operating Systems (TOS), Gate Operations, and Billing & Data solutions. The growing range of modules is being developed with one clear goal: to enable terminal operators and container service providers to digitalise their processes step by step, choosing exactly the modules they need. While not all modules are fully available yet, ongoing development ensures a steadily expanding portfolio. The successful deployment of the module operateMybox Depot at Addicks & Kreye, Bremerhaven marks an important milestone, demonstrating the platform’s value in real-world operations and paving the way for further rollouts in the future.

Want to discover more about our modules?
Get in touch with us to learn how operateMybox can support your digital transformation journey.

driveMybox, the Hamburg-based digital container trucking platform, is pleased to announce its expansion of reach to the Southeastern Balkan countries. Following Germany, Italy, and Hungary (as regional hub for Eastern Europe), Greece becomes the fourth country to join the driveMybox network – covering also the markets of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, marking another milestone in the company’s mission to create a Europe-wide digital solution for container transport.

With this market entry, driveMybox brings its innovative, fully digitalized platform to a strategically important region in Southern Europe. The newly signed agreement enables the company to serve one of the Mediterranean’s key transport corridors - offering even more flexibility, transparency, and efficiency for both customers and transport providers. The driveMybox presence in the Southeastern Balkans will be through a newly established company, i.e. driveMybox Greece S.A.

“With Germany, Italy, and our Eastern European hub in Hungary, we’ve already laid a strong foundation across the continent. Greece is a strategically logical next step.” says Patrick Jandt, CEO of driveMybox. “Together, we are now continuing to expand our smart logistics solution - for innovative, digital container transport across Europe.”

Gordon Friza, CFO of driveMybox, adds: “Every new market is not only part of our long-term growth strategy but also opens up significant business potential at the local level. With the expansion of driveMybox in Greece, Bulgaria and North Macedonia, we are confident in building a strong presence in the Mediterranean region - further advancing both our operational reach and our goal to make container transport across Europe more connected, efficient, and future-ready.”

Now that the contract is signed, the implementation phase begins: the driveMybox team is working closely with the new team in Greece to adapt the platform to local market requirements. This collaborative approach ensures that regional specifics are fully considered - while maintaining the intuitive and efficient user experience that driveMybox is known for.

Constantinos Mouskos, CEO driveMybox Greece:
“We’re very excited to bring driveMybox to Greece and enable the truck operators and cargo owners to work more efficiently in our market. The platform provides a much-needed digital upgrade for the local logistics landscape, and we look forward to shaping the digital future of transport in the region—and beyond - together.”

driveMybox was launched in Germany in 2020, expanded to Italy in 2021, and to Hungary in 2024 - from where customers in Romania and Slovenia are also served. The company also enables cross-border operations in respective neighbor countries. Its mission is clear: to become the leading digital solution for container trucking in Europe - and utlimately, worldwide.