MSC Invests In Portugal's Largest Dry Port

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), through its rail freight operator Medway in Iberia, is making a significant investment in the construction of Portugal’s largest dry port with the construction of a new railway terminal at Lousado.

The Lousado terminal will have an estimated area of 200,000 square meters and storage capacity of 10,000 TEUs. Its six rail lines will serve 12 to 14 trains per day. This will increase the use of electric railways compared to road and therefore have a positive impact on traffic congestion and CO2 emissions.

The terminal will serve the second largest economic region in Portugal, in the north of the nation, through direct connections to the Port of Sines. Northern Portugal accounts for about 39 percent of the national exports and 29 percent of the national economy, and its main industries include textiles clothing, footwear and metallurgy as well as medium- and high-tech sectors such as automotive components, pharmaceuticals, machinery, precision and communication equipment and computers.

The Port of Sines

The project is proceeding with the cooperation and support of public institutions, such as the local City Hall of Famalicão and Infraestruturas de Portugal. Portugal is planning major infrastructure investments to enhance rail connectivity, including 19 rail projects with a total budget of 4.1 billion euros. The new terminal at Lousado will be connected to the national rail network and the main corridors to the Port of Sines and will allow for trans-border service connecting the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of Europe.

Construction will begin soon, and the new terminal is expected to be operational by March 2020. 

Running 100 trains per day, equivalent to 136 trips around the world in a year, Medway has a 90 percent share of the Portuguese rail freight market, and the dry terminal is part of a major expansion plan in Portugal. Medway also operates in Spain, where it will be making further investments.