Total throughput also increased in the first three quarters of the year. There are several factors that stand out in the increase in container traffic. On the other hand, the trade conflict between the US and Europe had an impact on the balance sheet of the port of Hamburg.
Germany’s largest port, Hamburg, increased its total production in the first three quarters of this year. Cargo throughput by sea increased by 3.4 percent to 86.8 million tons. In terms of container output, Hamburg recorded growth of 8.4 percent to 6.3 million units (TEU) compared to the same period last year.
With regard to shipping areas in container traffic, throughput growth mainly occurred on routes between Asia and Europe and intra-European freight traffic. However, the number of container loads on the route between Europe and the United States at the Hamburg dockside fell drastically by 23.9 percent during the first nine months of this year, which is a result of the trade conflict between Europe and the United States since American President Donald Trump returned to office in January. Total container traffic in China, which is very important for Hamburg, increased by 7.9 percent to 1.8 million TEU. Container exchange with India through the port of Hamburg grew by 45.5 percent to 214,000 TEU during the reporting period.
What is particularly noticeable in the container segment is an increase in transshipment traffic. Containers are transferred from large cargo ships on overseas routes to smaller feeders, called feeders, and taken to their destination. This is an indication that the presence of the world’s largest maritime group MSC in Hamburg is starting to have an impact. MSC took a stake in port logistics business HHLA last year and is looking to increase its stake there to 49.9 percent. 50.1 percent of the shares remain in the city of Hamburg. HHLA operates, among other things, three of Hamburg’s four container terminals.
As part of the HHLA contract, MSC promised to gradually bring more cargo to Hamburg. The formation of the new alliance Gemini Cooperation between Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, which has been on the market since February, could also have a positive impact on container handling and feeder services in Hamburg. In addition to the presence of MSC, the port industry and the Senate are also hoping for a boost, especially in container handling, with the announced entry of French shipping company CMA CGM into the Eurogate container terminal in Hamburg with a 20 percent share. CMA CGM is the fourth largest container shipping company in the world.
Hamburg’s rival port, Antwerp-Zeebrugge, recorded a 3.8 percent drop in total output and a 1.6 percent increase in container output during the first nine months of the year. The Antwerp port administration attributed the weak development in the container segment in particular to the realignment of shipping alliances.
Total throughput at Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, fell by 2.6 percent in the first three quarters, while container output increased by three percent.
However, the encouraging figures in Hamburg, especially for container traffic, cannot hide the fact that the port is growing from a relatively low level. Container throughput in 2024 will be 7.8 million TEU, roughly the same as throughput levels in the mid-nineties compared to 20 years earlier.
Olaf Preuß is a business reporter for WELT and WELT AM SONNTAG for Hamburg and northern Germany. He has reported on maritime economics, shipping, ports and shipbuilding for more than three decades.
