The new Container Terminal Lubeck (CTL) was built by HHLA subsidiary Combispeed, and is on a 70,000m 2site with a 320m quay. It is linked by fast, direct and regular shuttle trains to HHLA's Burchardkai and Altenwerder Container Terminals in Hamburg and also to the port's biggest private container terminal, Eurogate.

Container handling has traditionally been small in Lubeck, which is dominated by ferry and cruise business. That, many believe. could change dramatically if the CTL concept catches on. The terminal, which is capable of eventually handling 800,000 TEU a year, started slowly - just 1,873 TEU in its first month, January, a spokeswoman told MJ. The first ship was the Transfennica feeder Heralden, part of a thrice-weekly service to and from Finland by that owner.

Two combined container feeder/rail bridge cranes from Austria's Kranbau Kunz moving at 100m/minute, span 16 rail tracks, which run directly into the terminal. The tracks are each 175m long for a total 4.8km and will offload directly onto rail wagons, which will handle 80% of the containers handled. The cranes can cope with up to four feeder ships daily.

Up to 12 block trains in both directions each day are planned eventually, a service which officials said will be 36 hours faster than previously competing road and sea services to and from Hamburg.