On 4 June 2025, the Hamburg terminal operator Hamburger Hafen und Logistik announced it had acquired a controlling 60 percent stake in the Ukrainian rail terminal Eurobridge Intermodal Terminal, located in Batiovo, in the country’s western region. The terminal, which will operate under the new name Hhla Eurobridge Batiovo, will be managed as a joint venture between Hhla International and local investor Fortior Capital. The deal, still awaiting clearance from Ukrainian antitrust authorities, marks a further step towards the integration of logistics corridors between the European Union and Ukraine.
The Hhla group, which has been active in Ukraine for over twenty years with its container terminal in Odessa and with the rail operator Uic Ukraine Intermodal Company, aims to strengthen the east-west intermodal corridor, creating new connection opportunities and contributing to the country’s infrastructure reconstruction. “Ukraine remains a growing market with significant potential for intermodal transport,” explained Angela Titzrath, CEO of Hhla. “In challenging times, having reliable and efficient infrastructure is essential to support the economy and European integration.”
The Batiovo terminal represents a particularly strategic node. Located near the border with the European Union and at the crossroads of key international rail corridors, it is equipped with both standard European gauge tracks (1,435 mm) and broad gauge tracks (1,520 mm), making it ideally positioned as a transit point between the logistics networks of Europe and Ukraine.
Currently undergoing a major transformation, the site is being converted from a bulk cargo terminal into an intermodal hub for container traffic. Container operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with an initial capacity of around 100,000 teu per year. The facility will also be able to handle grain and other general cargo, with potential for future expansion depending on demand. “Our investment is a clear signal of confidence in Ukraine’s economic and logistical potential,” said Philip Sweens, managing director of Hhla International.
Metrans, the rail company controlled by Hhla, is also involved in the project. “With our pan-European rail network and our experience managing twenty terminals, we can integrate Batiovo into the European logistics system,” added CEO Peter Kiss. “This will make transport to and from Ukraine even more competitive.”
This operation forms part of a broader strategy to enhance intermodal links between European ports and their hinterlands, involving routes from the North Sea and Baltic to the Black Sea. Thanks to Batiovo, Hhla will be able to rely on a key infrastructure to ensure continuity of freight flows even under complex geopolitical conditions, improving port access and providing an effective connection with the hinterland.
