Port of Hamburg halts train services amid strikes
NewsThe Port of Hamburg has halted train acceptance due to ongoing strikes, causing delays of over 24 hours.
Port of Hamburg holds steady in H1
Despite regional challenges and moderate economic conditions, the Port of Hamburg’s container handling saw a slight decline of 0.3% in the first half of 2024, processing 3.8 million TEU.
The Port of Hamburg maintained consistent container handling in the first half of 2024 despite challenges in the Red Sea region and moderate economic performance in Germany. From January to June, the port processed 3.8 million TEU, showing a minimal decline of 0.3% compared to the same period last year.
Loaded container volumes saw a slight increase of 0.5%, reaching 3.4 million TEU. Additionally, conventional general cargo handling improved by 4.3%, totalling 585,000 tonnes. General cargo throughput remained stable at 39.2 million tonnes (+/- 0.0%).
Total seaborne cargo throughput for the period was 55.9 million tonnes, a decrease of 3.9% year-on-year. The port said that the impact of the energy transition is becoming increasingly evident, particularly with the decline in coal volumes.
“We can see the trend towards decarbonisation in the bulk cargo figures, reflecting a shift away from fossil fuels towards alternative energy sources. This is particularly noticeable in the 11.8% drop in coal handling over the past six months,” explained Axel Mattern, CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing.
This decline also affected overall bulk cargo throughput, which decreased by 12.1% to 16.7 million tonnes.
The number of ships with container capacity calling at the Port of Hamburg increased by nearly 1% in H1 2024, primarily driven by medium-sized and smaller vessels, as calls by large container ships with over 10,000 TEU capacity declined across all size classes year-on-year due to the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea.
“An increasing number of shippers are choosing rail as a sustainable mode of transport in hinterland traffic, which has further solidified the railways’ leading role in Hamburg’s seaport-hinterland operations. Despite challenges from line closures and extensive construction work, rail’s share of TEU rose to 50.8% in the first half of the year, with 1.3 million TEU handled, representing a 3.1% increase. In terms of tonnage, rail transport’s share grew by 1.2%, reaching 23.4 million tonnes,” the port said.
Trade trends
With regard to the port’s top trading partners, China maintained its top position, with a total of 1.1 million TEU (-2.2 % year-on-year), followed by the US in the second spot with 341,000 TEU handled (9.0% increase year-on-year). Notable mentions include Malaysia which saw an increase of 14.7% in cargo volumes to 88,000 TEU, placing it in tenth position. Turkey continued its positive trend from the past four years, with a 26.7% year-on-year increase. It now ranks twelfth in Hamburg’s trade volume, having moved up six places in H1 2024.
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