Maersk announces new warehouse for electric car batteries near Hanover

Maersk, together with the German project developer bauwo, is building a
20,000 square meter logistics center near Hanover for the storage and
handling of electric car batteries and components to produce the batteries.
Following the successful launch of a similar facility in Teplice, Czech
Republic, in November 2022, the two new halls in Berkhof, directly on the A7
motorway, will further strengthen Maersk’s  strong position as a logistics
partner of the automotive industry. Thanks to the recently granted
construction permit, the works on the approx. 50,000 square meter site have
already begun. The completion of the highly automated battery warehouse is
scheduled for May 2024 in just one year.
In addition to Teplice, the battery warehouse in Berkhof will be our second,
even larger location in Europe, with which we will meet the growing demand
of the automotive industry for logistics solutions for electric car
batteries. The new facility is close to the production sites of several car
makers and will help e-mobility to grow across Germany and Europe.

Jens-Ole Krenzien, Maersk Managing Director North Europe Continent
“Logistics in the automotive industry is one of the most demanding. Through
our control over all important assets along the transport chain from the
factory in Asia to the use of the parts in a plant in Europe, we can offer
our customers not only tailor-made, but above all very resilient and
flexible logistics solutions,” Krenzien continues. “The logistics center in
Berkhof will be a central building block for transporting and temporarily
storing the batteries as the most important element in e-mobility.”

In addition to storage and repacking, the services offered in the special
warehouse include in-depth quality controls and charging of the batteries as
well as other value-adding services along automotive supply chains.

Up to 34,000 pallets can be accommodated in the two halls with a clear
height of twelve metres. The batteries are monitored by a sophisticated
safety system. For example, in case of higher temperature or expansion in
size, a pallet is evacuated fully automatically and safely stowed outdoors
in a special container where it can be further examined. The warehouse can
be tailored to separate compartments dedicated to a customer if needed.

The strong growth of e-mobility in Europe continues, and the demand for
specialized battery logistics is increasing. In addition to the conversion
of new car production from combustion technology to electric engines, the
handling and recycling of used e-car batteries of the first-generation is
now also starting at scale. Specialized companies, including some from
Germany, can give these used batteries a second, multi-year life by
replacing individual battery cells, but this also requires storage and
distribution capacities.

About A.P. Moller – Maersk
A.P. Moller – Maersk is an integrated logistics company working to connect
and simplify its customers’ supply chains. As a global leader in logistics
services, the company operates in 130 countries and employs over 110,000
people. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2040 across the
entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and green fuels.