REGIONAL REPORT
“Europe leads globally in sustainability
initiatives, with regional legislation accelerating electrification and decarbonisation,” he adds. “However, many of our customers had already voluntarily committed to sustainable practices, understanding their long-term benefits before mandates took effect.” This focus on technology and sustainability
synergises well with Kalmar’s ethos. “The strong emphasis in the region on sustainability and digital transformation align closely with Kalmar’s strategic priorities: investing in sustainable innovations, expanding our service offerings, and driving operational excellence,” says Geber-Teir. “Our strong local presence and commitment to the region enable us to effectively support customers in their automation and decarbonisation efforts – both in Europe and globally.”
She believes that electrification and decarbonisation are leading trends in Europe, driven by strict environmental regulations and ambitious sustainability targets. This is reflected in the demand for Kalmar’s electric equipment portfolio, including electric reach stackers, forklifts, terminal tractors, and straddle carriers. “In addition to emissions-free equipment,
European customers are increasingly adopting intelligent automation and digital solutions to improve efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint,” she adds. “These developments go hand in hand with Europe’s push towards greener, smarter logistics operations. “With a global installed base of 68,000 machines and a sales and service presence in over 120 countries, Kalmar is well positioned to meet these evolving customer needs and help drive the transition to more sustainable and automated terminal operations across the region.” At the nexus of these two issues is digitalisation. “Improving preventative and predictive maintenance in ports and container terminals will be of greater importance as equipment availability and uptime are imperative for meeting customer demands,” says Robroek. “Digitalisation can provide significant benefits for the improvement of preventative and predictive maintenance of the equipment, by extending the operational lifetime of port equipment and machinery while improving reliability and reducing maintenance costs.” Hyster is a participant in the iTerminals
4.0 Project, which aims consist of advancing the standardisation of processes and the application of Industry 4.0 technologies in the port container terminal industry. SANY is also supporting this trend through its in-house service provider which has already digitalised port operations worldwide.
xiv | June 2025 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
Positive outlook Cargo handling has always been a dynamic business, and the current climate is no exception. Many major European ports are busy thanks to goods from China being rerouted. Originally destined for the US, exporters are playing it safe during ongoing tariff issues, by delivering them to Europe instead. This is playing into a more positive outlook than expected. “The industry outlook for the European
region remains positive,” says Flanagan. “Our customers continue to prioritise long-term gains over short-term occurrences, with operational investments focused on building success over the next decade. This forward- focused mindset is reflected in projects aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability while managing short-term fluctuations. “Although different elements may influence
near-term operational decisions, they have not deterred investments in transformative technologies and infrastructure. European terminals exhibit resilience and adaptability, emphasising their crucial role in facilitating global trade by ensuring the efficient movement of goods. Their commitment to maintaining high levels of service delivery reinforces confidence in the future of the region’s industry.” Kalmar is a little more cautious in its views. “Today there is an increased level of uncertainty in the market environment affected by the tariff announcements and geopolitical tensions,” says Geber-Teir. “Towards the end of Q1 as well as in the beginning of Q2, the uncertainty level increased. In certain parts of the world, customers are a bit more in the wait-and-see mode because of the uncertainty.
We will see in the coming months what kind of business sentiment there will be in Europe.” A temporary agreement on tariffs between the US and China will be seen as good news by Chinese exporters. “Ambitious infrastructure and sustainability goals will help to navigate through potential negative effects of the international trade tensions,” says Weiss. “With new megatrends, like smart infrastructure, electrification, environmental protection, and many AI-driven projects, we here in SANY look forward to long term economic growth and sustainability.” XCMG sees that the European regional port machinery market is on the road to recovery. “We expect investment and equipment renewal to continue increasing,” says Zhao. “Tariffs above normal level are always sensitive to the investment, which adds extra costs and instability for business. But the investment issue is a very complex consideration; investors need to make a matrix calculation and then get their answer.”
While the question of tariffs remains, CM Labs does not see this significantly impacting the investment plans of European ports. Van de Kletersteeg believes that no one is fully immune – but says CM Labs is fortunate because it is Canadian rather than based in the USA. “It’s not affecting our investment in the product, and it’s not going to necessarily affect our go-to-market strategy.” “Essentially, a training simulator becomes part of the day-to-day operations of the port, and so in many cases, we see it is no longer really an option but an absolute necessity. We have a product that has a very well-defined need on a global level. And so, I think we’re going to be able to navigate these waters successfully in the future.”
XCMG’s XPT75E pure electric port tractor.
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