Hamburg strengthens its position as Europe’s biggest container port
published: cw 13, 2007 in Logistics & ShippingThe Port of Hamburg Achieves a Record Again in 2006: Cargo Volumes Total Around 135 Million Metric Tons and 8.9 Million Containers (TEUs)
In 2006, the total volume of sea cargo handled in the Port of Hamburg increased by nine million metric tons (7.3 percent) to reach a new record of around 135 million tons. Container handling was once again the main motor for growth in 2006. Some 8,9 million containers (TEU) or 89.5 million tons were loaded or discharged in Hamburg. This represents a growth rate of 9.6 percent over the previous year. Hamburg handled 774,000 more TEUs and thus showed the highest increase in terms of the number of containers handled in comparison to the other major ports along the northern range (Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremen). The average growth rate for container throughput in the Northern European ports was 8.6 percent and the total cargo volumes increased by 4.7 percent.
In Hamburg, 97.2 percent of the general cargo handled was containerized (up from 96.8 percent in 2006). Conventional general cargo (for instance, things that do not fit into containers) dropped slightly in 2006 and at 2.6 million tons did not quite reach the level of 2.7 million tons reached the year before.
Germany’s largest all-purpose port handled a total of 42.7 million metric tons of bulk cargo in 2006. That amounted to 2.7 million tons or 6.9 percent more than in the previous year.
At the annual press conference of the Port of Hamburg marketing, Hamburg’s Senator for Economy and Labour, Gunnar Uldall, stated: “I am pleased that we were able to surpass the average growth in the other Northern European ports with our growth rate of 9.6 percent in container handling in 2006. This continuing success shows that the Port of Hamburg must go on investing to remain competitive. The city has already begun expansion of the infrastructure in the port and will go on investing in optimizing the existing areas and in the construction of a new container terminal in the centre area of Hamburg’s “Middle Free Port”. At the same time, we are working toward deepening the channel in the Elbe River and are getting the traffic connections in the port ready for increasing transports to and from the hinterland.
When the channel in the Elbe River has again been deepened, ocean-going ships with a maximum draught off 13.80 meters will be able to sail into the Hamburg harbour regardless of the tides.
These measures will help keep the seaport fit for the future and help secure all the jobs that depend directly or indirectly on the Port of Hamburg. Just in the period from 2001 to 2005 the number of jobs that depend on the port rose from 145,000 to 156,000. This positive development continued in 2006, as well.”
During the presentation of the cargo handling volumes for 2006, Port of Hamburg Marketing Chairman Dr. Jürgen Sorgenfrei explained: “The 9.6 percent growth in container traffic via Hamburg is almost a percentage point above the volumes that well-known institutes had predicted for worldwide growth in container traffic, which was supposed to reach a yearly average of 9.0 percent up to 2015. Despite the handicap caused by the expansion work in the HHLA container terminals and in the Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg, all the terminals in Hamburg together were able to handle a total of 774,000 more containers (TEU) than last year. This is once again a top achievement in comparison to the other ports along the northern range. Antwerp improved its container volume by 531,000 TEUs, Rotterdam showed a growth of 313,000 TEUs and Bremen/Bremerhaven achieved an increase of 738,000 TEUs. Thus, in terms of absolute numbers, Hamburg recorded the highest increase among the northern range seaports.”
In regard to the increasing ship sizes, Dr. Sorgenfrei reported: “Three and a half years ago there were still not any container ships anywhere that had a capacity of more than 7000 TEU (20 foot standard containers). Now 118 of these so-called post-Panamax ships are already operating. For example, such vessels regularly call at Hamburg for East Asian shipping. Another 165 are on order worldwide. Deepening the approaches and the Lower Elbe fairway so that these ships have easy access is of great importance to the Port of Hamburg.”
In 2006 the Port of Hamburg was again able to improve its market share of container shipping in competition with the other Northern European ports and reached eighth place among the world’s largest container ports.
2006 brought Hamburg even more Asian cargo — Trade with China is booming and brought the Port of Hamburg a record volume of 2.6 million TEUs
Hamburg’s container shipping to and from destinations in East and Southeast Asia showed double-digit growth rates. Hamburg handled a total of around 4.8 million TEUs of cargo to and from Asia.
China, Hamburg’s most important trade partner, accounted single-handedly for 2.6 million TEUs. That was about 20 percent more than in the previous year. The 29 full container liner services that link Hamburg to East Asian ports every week demonstrate Hamburg’s outstanding position as a seaport and logistics center for import and export trade with China and Asia. The Asian countries have been at the top of the list of Hamburg’s most important partners for seaborne trade for years. China continues to take first place.
Hamburg’s growing importance as a Northern European hub for container traffic is based on the one hand on the high rate of local cargo for the metropolitan region of Hamburg and on the other hand on excellent connections to the German and Central European hinterland. The transportation network to and from the seaport – be it by truck, trains, Feeder ships, or canal barges – provides a basis for Hamburg’s increasing importance as a turntable for Northern Europe. The Hamburg Port Railway handles rail transport for more than 1.6 million TEUs per year, making Hamburg into Europe’s largest railway hub for container traffic. A number of 190 container trains are coming or leaving the Hamburg container terminals daily.
Along with having a leading role for German foreign trade, Hamburg has also become the most important seaport for imports and exports for the neighbouring countries of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria, as well as the whole Baltic Sea region. Short distances and quick delivery times make Hamburg the ideal gateway port for seaborne foreign trade with Central European countries and the states around the Baltic Sea.
Hamburg further strengthens its standing as the most important container port for the countries around the Baltic Sea
Seaborne cargo transport between Hamburg and the Baltic Sea states reached a new record level of 2.4 million TEUs in 2006. This represents an increase of around 200,000 TEUs (+11.8 percent) compared to 2005. Four countries bordering on the Baltic Sea are among the Port of Hamburg’s top ten trade partners: the Russian Federation (599,000 TEUs) ranking third, Finland (519,000 TEUS) at fourth place, Sweden (376,000 TEUs) at fifth place, and Poland (267,000 TEUs) coming in seventh. With a volume of 599,000 TEUs (+41.3 percent), the Russian Federation climbed from fourth to third place last year.
Container traffic to and from Norway remained unchanged at the level of 193,000 TEUs. Container volumes between Hamburg and Denmark (194,000 TEUs) as well as the Baltic states Lithuania (81,500 TEUs), Latvia (79,000 TEUs), and Estonia (75,000 TEUs) all rose. Besides the feeder traffic registered here, significant numbers of import and export containers are transported by road and railway to the countries mentioned.
Container traffic to and from South America went up 25.2 percent
The concentration of cargo flows in container traffic between Hamburg and the eastern coast of South America has intensified. A significant share of the South American cargo to and from Northern Europe passed through Hamburg; 296,000 TEUs were loaded or discharged there – up 12.4 percent over the year before. Trade with the west coast of South America also developed favorably, showing a growth rate of 25 percent and a turnover of 76,000 TEUs. Traffic to and from Brazil made up total of 219,000 TEUs (+3.6 percent). The Brazilian economy is responsible for increasing foreign trade and has now reached tenth place in the list of Hamburg’s top ten trade partners.
North American container traffic declines
With a volume of 321,000 TEUs (?23 percent), container shipping between Hamburg and the East Coast of America and Canada failed to reach the level achieved in 2005. The reason is that some liner services to North America have relocated or been terminated. The US is no longer among the ten most important trade partners for ocean transport via Hamburg, having slipped down to fourteenth place.
Non-containerized general cargo handling failed to quite reach the previous year’s level
At 2.6 million metric tons, the volume of conventional general cargo handled in 2006 remained slightly below the 2005 level of 2.7 million tons. Despite the continually increasing level of containerization, conventional general cargo is still an important sector for the port business in Hamburg. The rate of containerization has now reached 97.2 percent in Hamburg. Last year, conventional cargo volumes in Hamburg rose in part because of a 22.9 percent increase in fruit imports (up to 750,000 metric tons) and regular liner services with modern special vessels for heavy goods that loaded and discharged heavy loads and complete project consignments at special multi-purpose terminals.
Bulk cargo handling accounted for 42.7 million metric tons in 2006 and was responsible for substantial growth
Bulk cargo handling reached a volume of around 43 million metric tons in 2006, surpassing the previous year’s level by about 3 million tons or 6.9 percent. Grab-cargo (ore, fertilizer, and especially coal) sustained the high level set last year, reaching a volume of 22.2 million metric tons and a plus of 4.5 percent. Liquid bulk cargo volumes were up 8.5 percent to 14.2 million tons. Mineral oil products were responsible for the major part of this increase. Suction cargo profited particularly from increases in oil seed imports and grain exports. With a growth rate of 12.3 percent, suction cargo turnover rose to 6.3 million metric tons.
The total bulk cargo volume of around 43 million metric tons was the highest since 1982 (43.5 million tons). Volumes over 40 million tons of bulk cargo had only been reached before in Hamburg in the time between 1979 and 1982, whereby liquid cargo made up around 20 million tons per year).
Suction cargo accounted for a total volume of 6.3 million metric tons in 2006 (+12.3 percent). Among the incoming goods, grain showed a growth rate of 63.2 percent. Oil seed imports made up 2.6 million tons, corresponding to an increase of 3.5 percent. Outgoing suction cargo reached a level of 3.1 million tons, up 17 percent. Grain exports increased by 23 percent to 2.2 million tons.
Grab-cargo handling showed an increase of 6.7 percent on the import side, reaching a volume of 18.3 million metric tons. 4.9 million tons of coal and coke were discharged (+4.7 percent). Ore imports rose 7.8 percent to 11.3 million tons. The rest of the grab-cargo accounted for 2.1 million tons, plus 5.6 percent over last year.
Among the export goods, fertilizer stayed relatively stable at 2.7 million tons, dropping only one percent. Miscellaneous grab-cargo declined slightly (?13.4 percent) to 1.1 million metric tons.
Hamburg gains importance as a cruise center
The Port of Hamburg is becoming more and more attractive to both shipping lines and passengers for cruises. During the 2006 season, 68 cruise ships called at Hamburg. The number of passengers doubled in comparison to the previous year, going up to around 75,000. The Hamburg Cruise Center is expecting 80 ships to call in 2007, bringing over 100,000 passengers to Hamburg. The christening of the “AIDAdiva” on April 20, the call of the Cunard Line’s new ship “Queen Victoria” and six further first-time dockings in Hamburg will be just a few of the highlights in 2007. The cruise season will continue through December this year. Several shipping lines will be offering Christmas cruises via Hamburg for the first time.
Perspectives for 2007
Port of Hamburg Marketing is expecting positive figures in seaborne cargo in 2007. The total cargo volume is predicted to reach approximately 140 million metric tons. Port of Hamburg Marketing anticipates a growth rate between five and nine percent in the area of container handling and a handling volume of around 9.5 million TEUs.
Source: Port of Hamburg
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